Dutch defense minister on F-16s for Ukraine: Fighter jets will arrive in short term

He said this in an exclusive comment to Ukrinform's correspondent in The Hague.

"So what I can say is that the F-16s will arrive in the short term, that we are working hard to make sure that that will happen as soon as possible. But I do not share any operational details. And the reason is not because I do not want to inform the public, because I would like to inform everyone as much as I can. But we know that the F-16s are also a target for Russia, and if we share the operational details and the exact date and the exact time, then, then it's very valuable information for the Russian regime. And we don't want to make them more informed than they already are. So that's something that I won't share," he said.

Photo: Iryna Drabok

Brekelmans also noted that Ukrainian pilots learn very quickly and do an amazing job.

"I will not share that exact number because it's also valuable information for Russia. What I can tell is what the Ukrainian pilots are doing right now. It's really, really amazing. Normally Dutch pilots take many years, sometimes even more than five years, to learn the F-16, to learn the system, which is quite complicated. And Ukrainian pilots are now doing this in one or one-and-a-half years. So that's really something remarkable," he said.

According to him, all arms transfer processes should take place in a safe and reliable way.

He also noted that fighter jets are important for defense and protection.

"I think in the first period, air defense will be the most important way in which F-16s are used. And maybe over time, they can also be used for other maneuvers. But the priority is on air defense," he said.

Ukrinform reported earlier that the Netherlands was allocating an additional EUR 300 million for the purchase of ammunition for F-16 fighter jets that will be handed over to Ukraine.