KYIV — Ukraine will seemingly obtain it first cargo of superior F-16s within the subsequent few days, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte informed President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in a telephone name as Kyiv seeks to disrupt Russia’s air superiority over Ukrainian skies amid continued battles on December 23 within the east and south of the nation.
“At the moment, I knowledgeable President Zelenskiy of our authorities’s determination to organize an preliminary 18 F-16 fighter plane for supply to Ukraine,” Rutte mentioned late on December 22 in a publish on social media platform X.
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“The supply of F-16s is likely one of the most essential components of the agreements made on navy assist for Ukraine.”
Zelenskiy mentioned that “I spoke with Mark Rutte to thank the Dutch authorities for its determination to begin making ready the preliminary 18 F-16 jets for his or her supply to Ukraine.”
Earlier this month, Ukrainian Protection Minister Rustem Umerov mentioned his nation anticipated to take supply of the fighter jets “quickly,” as U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration warned Congress that failure to assist Ukraine may imply the USA must pay a excessive value in “nationwide treasure and in American blood” sooner or later.
Kyiv has repeatedly urged its allies to supply the plane to counter Russia’s air supremacy within the components of Ukraine occupied by Russian forces.
Washington has mentioned it’s going to co-lead a coalition together with Denmark and the Netherlands, and can assist set up donation of the plane, plans to keep up them, and pilot coaching.
The influential Institute for the Examine of Warfare (ISW), in its newest struggle replace, echoed the White Home’s remarks on the necessity to keep away from any political disruptions concerning assist to Ukraine.
“Permitting Russia to win its struggle in Ukraine can be a self-imposed strategic defeat for the USA,” it wrote.
“The USA would face the danger of a bigger and costlier struggle in Europe. The USA would face the worst menace from Russia for the reason that collapse of the Soviet Union, as a victorious Russia would seemingly emerge reconstituted and extra decided to undermine the USA — and assured that it could.”
“Most harmful of all, nonetheless, U.S. adversaries would study that they’ll break America’s will to behave in assist of their strategic pursuits,” it added.
The remarks got here as NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg informed German information company dpa he believes the Kremlin “has misplaced Ukraine perpetually” on account of its struggling invasion.
“The entire objective of this invasion was to stop Ukraine from transferring towards NATO and the European Union. Ukraine is now nearer to NATO and the European Union than ever earlier than,” he informed dpa.
“This can be a massive strategic defeat for Russia.”
“Russia has misplaced tons of of planes, 1000’s of battle tanks, and 300,000 casualties. Their financial system is weaker. They’re politically extra remoted. Inflation is up, residing requirements are down.”
The ISW mentioned that, regardless of its setbacks, Russia seemingly will proceed to push Russian President Vladimir Putin’s ambitions in Ukraine.
“Russia continues to pursue Putin’s maximalist objectives in Ukraine and that the present failure of Russian operations in Ukraine to this point will not be a everlasting situation,” it wrote
In the meantime, The New York Occasions — citing Russian, U.S., and worldwide sources — on December 23 reported that Putin had given indicators over the previous three months that “he’s open to a cease-fire that freezes the combating alongside the present traces.”
The report cited former senior Russian officers near the Kremlin and U.S. and worldwide officers who say they’ve obtained such a message from Putin’s envoys.
Zelenskiy has constantly mentioned he’s unwilling to debate a peace deal that will require Ukraine to surrender any of its territory, together with lands captured by Russia since its February 2022 invasion.
On the battlefield, Kyiv on December 23 mentioned 75 clashes came about between Ukrainian forces and the invading Russian Military over the previous 24 hours, including that its troops repelled assaults on six entrance traces within the nation’s east and northeast.
Ukrainian defenders repelled 16 assaults within the Synkivka space of Kharkiv Province, the place Russian forces tried to interrupt by way of the defenses, Ukraine’s Common Workers mentioned.
The Ukrainian navy additionally mentioned its forces had fought off Russian assaults on Avdiyivka within the Donetsk area because the Kremlin’s forces continued efforts to encircle the japanese metropolis within the Donetsk area on December 23.
“Our warriors are sustaining their protection and inflicting important casualties to the occupiers,” the navy mentioned.
With reporting by dpa, Reuters, and The New York Occasions
