The Dutch position contrasts with Belgian policy, under which donated F-16s cannot be used by Kyiv to hit targets inside Russia.
Dutch Defense Minister Kajsa Ollongren has reassured Kyiv that the 24 F-16 fighter jets that the Netherlands intends to donate to Ukraine may be used to strike targets inside Russia.
In an interview with POLITICO at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Ollongren said the Netherlands would not impose a limitation as was the case with Belgium, where Prime Minister Alexander De Croo has warned Kyiv not to fly the F-16s it gets from his country in Russian airspace.
“There is not” a Belgian-style restriction, Ollongren said. “We are applying the same principle that we have applied to every other delivery of capabilities, which is once we hand it over to Ukraine, it’s theirs to use," she said.
Has Ukraine been delivered any planes yet?
Not that I’m aware of. However they are in ‘any month now’ status. I’m expecting to hear about them arriving after they preformed a few strikes.
The first Ukrainian f16 pilots just finished training last week, so there wouldn’t have been any point in delivering them until now