Ukraine says providing modern warplanes to Kyiv will be ‘investment of decade’ in Europe’s security

Ukraine's foreign minister on Monday said that providing Kyiv with modern combat aircraft would be "the best investment of this decade" in the security of Europe.

"There are no rational arguments why Ukraine cannot get modern Western-type combat aircraft, and I am convinced that this decision will be made. Ukraine is the defender of Europe. The provision of F-16 aircraft to Ukraine will be the best investment of this decade in the security of the European continent," Dmytro Kuleba told a meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the EU, according to a Ukrainian Foreign Ministry statement.

The statement said that Kuleba expressed his belief that EU countries are able to play "a leading role in making a decision to provide Ukraine with modern combat aircraft and thus demonstrate their strategic leadership."

"It is necessary to start training Ukrainian pilots on Western-type aircraft as soon as possible, so that when they are provided, we can immediately use them. This will save the lives of our soldiers and civilians and guarantee Ukraine's superiority over the enemy in the air," he said.

Kuleba underlined that the provision of F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine and the integration of the country's air and missile defense with those of neighboring EU countries "will complete the formation of the infrastructure of a peaceful European sky."

After securing the delivery of battle tanks in January, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has asked the West for fighter jets to defend its skies against Russian attacks, a request officially ruled out for now by countries such as the U.S. and Germany.