London wants to create an “international coalition” to help Ukraine acquire F-16 fighter jets, Downing Street said Tuesday after a meeting between British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte.

The two men, who met on the sidelines of the Council of Europe summit in Iceland, “agreed to work on building an international coalition to supply Ukraine with air assets, supporting (…) from (pilot) training to delivery of F-16s,” the press said. service release of Mr. Sunak.

“Good start for the coalition!” – this is how President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky reacted in his evening televised address. He added that “thank you to everyone” who wants to give fighters to his army.

The summit – just the fourth pan-European body in its nearly 75 years of existence – was called upon to consider ways to hold Russia criminally accountable for the catastrophes and crimes that followed its military invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022.

Mr. Sunak “reiterated his conviction that Ukraine is a member of NATO”, emphasizes the message no. 10 Downing Street, while “leaders agreed that it is important for Allies to provide long-term security assistance to Ukraine.”

The Prime Minister of Great Britain met with the President of Ukraine on Monday in London. He promised that the UK would soon send anti-aircraft missiles and drones to Ukraine.

Mr. Zelensky has been asking his Western allies for months to provide his army with planes so he can strike deep into Russian formations, which, however, is not considered a miraculous way to resolve and end the armed conflict.

On Monday in London, he reiterated that he wanted an “air coalition” and said he was “very optimistic” about it.

The UK has supplied Ukraine with anti-tank missiles, cannons and multiple rocket launchers, air defense systems, armored fighting vehicles and heavy Challenger tanks and trained Ukrainian soldiers in their use.

Source: RES-IPE