COPENHAGEN, Denmark – NATO-member Norway is reportedly planning to donate F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, which is currently engaged in a difficult counteroffensive against Russia. This news comes as Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre visits Kyiv.
The plan has not been officially confirmed, but Norwegian broadcasters NRK and TV2 have reported on it.
If the donation goes through, Norway would become the third European country, after the Netherlands and Denmark, to provide F-16 planes to Ukraine.
Ukraine has been requesting advanced fighter jets to level the playing field in its conflict with Russia. Currently, Ukrainian forces lack air cover, putting them at a disadvantage against Russian aviation and artillery.
Previously, Norway had announced a 75 billion kroner ($7 billion) donation to Ukraine as part of a five-year support package. This makes Norway one of the largest donors to Ukraine globally. The funds will be split evenly between military aid and humanitarian assistance, amounting to 15 billion kroner ($1.4 billion) annually.
In addition to the fighter jets, Norway has also pledged to donate anti-aircraft missiles to Ukraine, recognizing the importance of air defense to protect the civilian population and military infrastructure from Russian air attacks.
“This is one of the largest Norwegian donations of military material to Ukraine to date,” said Prime Minister Gahr Støre.
Norway’s consideration of sending F-16s to Ukraine has been ongoing for some time. The country recently received the first of its ordered 52 F-35 fighter jets, which are intended to replace its aging fleet of F-16s.
Last week, the Netherlands and Denmark also announced their plans to donate F-16 aircraft to Ukraine. Denmark will provide 19 planes, while the Netherlands has not specified the exact number of planes it will donate.
It is worth noting that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited several European countries this week, including the Netherlands and Denmark, but did not make a stop in Norway.
