Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin said on Monday that she is open to discussing the possibility of providing Ukraine with F-18 fighter jets, which will soon replace the more modern F-35, AFP reports.
Kyiv, which recently secured the supply of Western tanks, including the German-designed Leopard 2, also requires modern fighter jets to protect Ukraine’s airspace from Russian attacks.
The Ukrainian military offered to supply F-16s, the most affordable American-made aircraft, which are increasingly being replaced by newer models.
In particular, Finland, which operates a fleet of F/A-18 Hornets, announced in December 2021 that it would order 64 F-35As from the American manufacturer Lockheed Martin.
“We have new F-35s coming in… When those Hornets are decommissioned, we will be able to discuss their future use,” Marin told reporters on Monday.
However, the F-35 will not arrive until 2025.
Finland’s prime minister also sparked controversy in his country by raising the issue during a visit to Kyiv on Friday.
“I think we can discuss the Hornets, the possibility of handing them over to Ukraine, the training that might be needed,” she said.
His statements drew criticism after the media reported that he had not discussed the issue with the head of state and the defense minister in advance.
Petteri Orpo, leader of the opposition National Coalition, said the prime minister’s comments were “reckless” and that she had made a promise that “cannot be kept”.
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Source: Hot News
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