AMSTERDAM (Reuters) – The Netherlands has delivered the last two of 18 promised F-16 fighter jets to a training base in Romania, where Ukrainian pilots and ground crew are being trained to fly and maintain aircraft in combat, the Dutch Defense Ministry said. on Wednesday.
The Netherlands, which has also promised to send 24 F-16s to Ukraine, has been one of the driving forces behind the international coalition to provide Ukraine with F-16s to strengthen its air defense against Russian attacks.
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy previously called the gift “a breakthrough” that will strengthen Ukraine’s air defense and help its air defense.
The Dutch government announced in September that it will increase defense spending by more than 10% next year, citing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
(Reporting by Charlotte Van Campenhout. Editing by Jane Merriman)