Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Prime Minister Mark Rutte attend a press conference, in the Hague, Netherlands May 4, 2023.  REUTERS/Yves Herman/Pool
Netherlands

Netherlands, Belgium, UK discuss donating F-16s to Ukraine

Talks on a potential donation of F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine are progressing, Netherlands PM Mark Rutte said on Thursday during a visit by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to The Hague.

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Talks on a potential donation of F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine are progressing, Netherlands Prime Minister Mark Rutte said on Thursday during a visit by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to The Hague, but no decision has been made.

Answering a question at a press conference alongside Zelenskiy and Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, Rutte said "On the F-16's: no taboos."

"We are working closely with our partners Belgium, others, UK, Denmark, on getting that debate somehow to a conclusion. We are not there yet," he said.

Earlier this week in Helsinki, Finland, Zelenskiy renewed his requests for the West to supply Kyiv with modern fighter jets and added he was "sure we will soon have aircraft".

Rutte has previously said the Netherlands would consider any kind of military support for Ukraine as long as it would not trigger open conflict between NATO and Russia.

He said on Thursday said that discussions on F-16s would "take time" as did previous discussions on donating Leopard 2 tanks and armoured howitzers.

"But at this moment the panzer-howitzers are in Ukraine, (and) the Leo 2s are being delivered to Ukraine," he noted. "So we will work on this diligently, on the F-16s, and clearly there is support in parliament for this government to work on that."

(Reporting by Toby Sterling and Charlotte Van Campenhout; Editing by Alex Richardson and Christina Fincher)

Brazil proposes broader emissions pledges ahead of COP30

Heineken pulls staff from DR Congo

Social media age checks face teen skepticism in Australia trials

Underwater kelp forests off Chile offer hope for food and climate

Air India cuts international flights 15% amid 787 crash probe