Ukraine confirms Danish delivery of F-16s as Zelensky seeks support in Paris
7 December 2024, 11:44
The Ukrainian President is set to meet other world leaders at the reopening of Notre Dame in the French capital.
Denmark has delivered a second batch of F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky said, as he travelled to Paris to meet top politicians and dignitaries.
In a message on Telegram, Mr Zelensky praised Denmark and lamented a lack of dedication from other allies.
“The first batch of planes provided by the Danes are already shooting down Russian missiles: rescuing our people and our infrastructure. Now our air shield is reinforced even further,” he said.
The second batch of F-16s from Denmark has arrived in Ukraine. This is an example of leadership in defending lives that sets Denmark apart.
The aircraft from the first batch, provided by the Danish people, are already intercepting Russian missiles, saving our people’s lives and…
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) December 7, 2024
“If all partners were so determined, we would have been able to make Russian terror impossible.”
The announcement comes as Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region marks a day of mourning for 10 people killed in a Russian attack on Friday.
A further 24 people, including two children, were injured when a missile struck a local service station, regional governor Ivan Fedorov said.
Another three people were killed in a strike on the Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih on Friday, Ukraine’s State Emergency Service said.
Addressing the attacks, Mr Zelensky said that Russian President Vladimir Putin did not seek “real peace”.
Mr Putin “only seeks the ability to treat any country this way, with bombs, missiles, and all other forms of violence,” Mr Zelensky added.
“Only through strength can we resist this. And only through strength can real peace be established.”
Mr Zelensky is due to meet other world leaders on Saturday, including French President Emmanuel Macron, at an event in Paris celebrating the renovation of Notre Dame Cathedral after a devastating fire in 2019.
US President-elect Donald Trump is among those expected to be in attendance, with European leaders keen to cultivate the incoming leader’s favour to persuade him to maintain support for Ukraine against Russia’s three-year invasion. It’s not clear whether Mr Trump will meet Mr Zelensky.
