The rumor mill had been churning ever since Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, in a video message published two days earlier, spoke of "major decisions" to come. On Sunday, August 20, the Netherlands and Denmark formalized the supply of American F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine. This is a first since the start of the "special operation" launched by Russia in February 2022, and a relief for the Ukrainians, who have been calling for months for the delivery of Western aircraft to resist the invasion of Moscow's forces.

"Rhe Netherlands and Denmark commit to the transfer of F-16 aircraft to Ukraine and the Ukrainian air force," announced outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte on Sunday afternoon, during a surprise visit with Zelensky to a military airbase near Eindhoven. "Today, we took another step to strengthen Ukraine's air shield," said the Ukrainian president, adding that "this is just the beginning."

In a message posted on Telegram during his visit, Zelensky referred to the delivery of 42 F-16 aircraft, but the Netherlands did not specify exactly how many it intended to hand over. While the Dutch army officially has 42 of these fighters, 18 of them have been decommissioned and are being used for replacement parts, according to specialists. Rutte did not say when the aircraft would be delivered. The Dutch Ministry of Defense said in a statement that certain preconditions would have to be met, including the adaptation of Ukraine's airfield infrastructure, and the training of the Ukrainians to operate the F-16s.

Denmark, which Zelensky visited late Sunday afternoon after his visit to the Netherlands, was more specific, promising to send 19 of its 44 F-16 fighters – only 30 are said to be operational, according to the British think-tank International Institute for Strategic Studies. The first six will be delivered around the New Year, eight more in 2024 and the last five in 2025, said Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen at a press conference with the Ukrainian president at Skrydstrup air base.

This timetable takes into account the training time required for a former Soviet aircraft pilot to master a Western aircraft. According to Western military sources, it takes an experienced aviator a minimum of four to six months' training to master a so-called fourth-generation fighter like the American F-16. "Even then, they'll only be able to carry out the simplest missions," a French pilot asserted. Operating a Western aircraft also requires the presence of no fewer than a dozen specialists on the ground, specifically trained in aircraft maintenance and the handling of on-board weapons.

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