U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced that "a batch of F-16s is now on its way to Ukraine from Denmark." Blinken stated, "F-16s will fly in the skies over Ukraine this summer." He explained that "the defense systems being provided to Ukraine are part of a comprehensive package to meet Kyiv's defensive needs." A joint statement from the United States, the Netherlands, and Denmark noted, "The transfer of the F-16s is currently underway, and they will be operated by Ukraine this summer. We thank Belgium and Norway for their commitment to providing additional fighter jets to Kyiv."
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, following the announcement of several countries sending fighters to Ukraine, said, "We want more." Zelensky, speaking in the U.S. on the first day of the summit, complained that the Abrams tanks supplied by Washington had not been able to change the situation on the battlefield, and that Ukraine also lacks air defense systems. He also lamented that the supply of U.S. F-16 fighter jets from Western nations to Kyiv would be insufficient, noting that Kyiv needs more than one hundred additional aircraft of this type. In response, Blinken expressed confidence that Ukraine is receiving adequate support from its allies.
