The Danish Defense Ministry has announced that its Air Force will replace its fleet of F-16 aircraft with F-35 jets two years ahead of schedule, accelerating the transfer of F-16 fighters to Ukraine, Danish Radio reported.
It was previously planned that the Danish Air Force would transition to F-35s in 2027. However, the Ministry of Defense has informed the country's parliament that the F-35s will be operational two years earlier from 2025.
"We can introduce the F-35 into service earlier than planned. Thus, we find ourselves in a situation where the F-16s can be phased out sooner," the radio quoted Acting Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen as saying.
The Danish station stressed that the Defense Ministry's decision "clears the way" for the transfer of F-16 fighters to Kiev. Earlier, Poulsen said that Danish authorities expect Ukrainian pilots to begin training on F-16s in the country in August.
"This does not mean that a decision cannot be made (on the transfer of jets to Kiev – ed. note Sputnik) earlier. However, they (the F-16 fighters – ed. note Sputnik) will remain in Denmark until 2024," he noted.
Poulsen's statement contradicts NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg's recent remark that it is not yet the moment for NATO to make a decision on the timing of the delivery of F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine.
During a press conference held by the European Political Community in Kishinev this month, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky revealed that several NATO members have expressed their willingness to supply Ukraine with F-16 fighter jets.
Earlier, Russia sent a note to NATO countries about arms deliveries to Ukraine. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov noted that any shipments of weapons to Ukraine would be considered a legitimate target for Russia.
The Russian Foreign Ministry has declared that NATO countries are "playing with fire" by supplying weapons to Ukraine. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov noted that pumping Ukraine with Western weapons does not contribute to the success of Russian-Ukrainian negotiations and will have a negative effect.