Norway has announced it will donate six F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine to guard against Russian strikes.
This is according to Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre on Wednesday.
Ukraine has long lobbied for the advanced fighter to give it a fighting advantage over Russian weapons.
Mr. Gahr Støre stated that Norway plans to begin donating the six jets in 2024, but no specific date was established.
He indicated that Kiev’s “ability to defend itself against attacks from the air is absolutely crucial in its defensive battle against Russia.”
Gahr Store spoke before he arrived in Washington for the NATO summit.
Last year, Mr Gahr he said during a trip to Kyiv that Norway would donate F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine but didn’t specify how many.
After 42 years of service, the Nordic NATO member will retire its old F-16 fighter aircraft in 2021 and replace it with new F-35A Joint Strike Fighters.
Norway is the third European country, following the Netherlands and Denmark, to donate F-16s to Ukraine.
Oil-rich Norway is among the world’s largest donors to Ukraine.
