Ukraine’s Zelensky displays newly arrived F-16 fighter jets to combat Russia in the air

“These jets are in our sky and today you see them,” said Zelensky, standing in front of two of the fighter jets as two others flew overhead in close formation. “It’s good that they are here and that we can put them to use.”

Ukraine is also trying to get neighbouring countries to help defend it against Russian missiles, Zelensky said on Sunday.

“This decision is probably a difficult one for our partners, as they are always afraid of unnecessary escalation,” said Ukraine’s president. “We will work on this … I think we have a good option of a Nato-Ukraine council … so that Nato countries could talk to Ukraine about the possibility of a small coalition of neighbouring countries that would shoot down enemy missiles.”

Two F-16 jets, sporting Ukraine’s trident insignia on their tails and draped in camouflage netting, were a dramatic background for Zelensky’s address to Air Forces Day, an event held under tight security at an undisclosed location to protect the fighter jets from Russian attacks.

“Since the beginning of this war, we have been talking with our partners about the need to protect our Ukrainian skies from Russian missiles and Russian aircraft,” Zelensky said. “Now we have a new reality in our skies. The F-16s are in Ukraine. We made it happen. I am proud of our guys who are mastering these aircraft and have already started using them for our country. Our combat aviation will bring us closer to victory.”