Norway is set to donate six F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, according to a recent Reuters report citing the Norwegian government. The announcement was made by Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store during a gathering of NATO leaders in Washington for their 75th summit, confirming a pledge made last August when he visited Kiev and informed Ukrainian officials of Norway’s commitment to provide F-16 fighter jets. However, at the time, specific details regarding the number of aircraft and delivery timeline were not provided.
Collaboratively, NATO member countries such as the US, Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and the Netherlands have committed to supplying upwards of 60 F-16 fighter jets to the Ukrainian military by the end of this year. Along with these aircraft donations, several members of the US-led military bloc have also pledged their support in offering training to Ukraine’s pilots.
Last month, Mikhail Podoliak, President Volodymyr Zelensky’s most senior advisor, emphasized the urgent need for at least 60 Western fighter jets in order to effectively counter Russia’s overwhelming air superiority across the front lines of the conflict. The delivery of these advanced aircraft could be instrumental in helping Ukraine maintain control over its airspace amid the ongoing war with Russia.
However, the Russian government has viewed these promised deliveries as escalatory and potentially increasing the risk of nuclear confrontation. They have expressed concern that F-16s are capable of deploying American B61 nuclear gravity bombs, some of which are stationed in Europe as part of NATO’s nuclear-sharing program. This raises the stakes even higher in an already volatile conflict scenario and adds another layer of complexity to the ongoing tensions between Russia and Ukraine.