NATO members begin sending F-16 jets in new support for Ukraine
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00:00So bring you now more on the NATO allies announcing they've started transferring those F-16 jets to Ukraine and stepping up those promises to Kiev
00:07on eventual membership in the alliance as well. We're going to cross to Kiev, talk to our correspondent who joins us from there, Emmanuelle Chaz.
00:13Emmanuelle, the good news for Ukraine then, the F-16s are on their way, a new batch of military funding as well.
00:19Absolutely, and it's been long awaited, much awaited here in Kiev, this delivery of fighter jets, of F-16s.
00:30There's several dozens that were pledged together by Denmark and the Netherlands, and the first of those pledged fighter jets are on their way, according to Anthony Blinken.
00:43However, it's been, as I was saying, long awaited. There's been over 18 months of wait for Kiev, with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warning just a few days ago in Washington
00:53that in order to be effective, such fighter jets should be delivered in number of at least 128 to try and match Russia's air force, which is believed to be at around 300 planes.
01:07So, of course, this is a relief here for Kiev to finally receive the planes that had been pledged such a long time ago.
01:13We also heard Norway announcing that it would deliver six additional F-16s. They had promised to deliver some last August, August 23, but they hadn't specified the number.
01:27So those will add up to the ones being sent by Denmark, being sent by the Netherlands.
01:33But, of course, Volodymyr Zelenskyy is in Washington for one thing, and it's to ask for more equipment, more fighter jets to be delivered in Ukraine.
01:41Zelenskyy had been hoping, hadn't he, Emmanuel, for a multi-year commitment, though? It wasn't forthcoming.
01:47Absolutely. And this is why we see the strategy here in Kiev has shifted since last year from asking NATO to have this global strategy to bilateral agreements.
02:03There's over 20 bilateral agreements which have been signed by Ukraine with allied countries.
02:09I'm thinking about the UK, which was one of the first, Germany, France, and also a few days ago only with Poland.
02:17I will just give you an example. The Polish government had already delivered 44 military aid packages to Ukraine, but it has now decided to enter a security agreement, bilateral security agreement.
02:31And especially in uncertain times politically, when we see that Ukraine, of course, has all eyes set on the American presidency election, presidential campaign in November.
02:45We see that those agreements, bilateral agreements, are designed to try to ensure a continuity of aid being delivered, military aid being delivered to Ukraine.
02:56And we see, for example, that Keir Starmer, the new British prime minister, has reassured Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
03:03He said that from now on, the UK will support Ukraine with 3 billion euros of aid every year for as long as it takes.
03:16So those are the kinds of agreements that make up for the lack of full strategy, full commitment by the NATO member countries.
03:27Emmanuel, Emmanuel Chassé joining us live from Kyiv. Thanks very much.