Denmark backs Ukraine to use its F-16 jets for strikes inside Russia

PRAGUE, Czech Republic

Denmark on Thursday said Ukraine’s use of Danish-supplied F-16 jets to strike military targets in the Russian territory would be “within the rules of war," Ukrainian media reported.

"It is completely within the rules of war that a country that is attacked must be able to answer for itself," Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen told reporters in Brussels.

He said Copenhagen formed a fighter jet coalition for Ukraine with Netherlands in July 2023 to provide F-16 jets to Ukrainian air force, and also help train pilots and technical staff operate the fourth-generation jets.

The foreign minister reiterated that provision of F-16 jets is not a “carte blanche” for Ukraine to launch arbitrary attacks into Russia but given to avail opportunities to weaken the Russian army by striking at the military installations inside their territory.

Denmark and Ukraine signed a 10-year security agreement in February.