This image provided by the U.S. Air Force, a F-16 Fighting Falcon from the 510th Fighter Squadron takes off during Red Flag 24-1 at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, on Jan 25, 2024 (AP)

At the NATO Public Forum on Wednesday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that the transfer of F-16 fighter jets from Europe to Ukraine is now underway.

"I'm also pleased to announce that as we speak, the transfer of F-16 jets is underway, coming from Denmark, coming from the Netherlands, and those jets will be flying in the skies of Ukraine this summer to make sure that Ukraine can continue to effectively defend itself against the Russian aggression," Blinken said.

Shortly after, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky published a tweet thanking for the United States, Denmark, and the Netherlands for addressing Kiev's security needs.

"I am grateful to Belgium and Norway for their commitment to providing us with their F-16 jets," the tweet reads. "F-16s will also be used to bolster Ukraine’s air defense."

I am grateful to the United States, Denmark, and the Netherlands for taking practical steps to achieve the goal of all Ukrainians: to strengthen the Ukrainian air force with F-16s.
I am grateful to Belgium and Norway for their commitment to providing us with their F-16 jets.…
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) July 10, 2024

Since the start of the war in February 2022, Kiev has urgently requested F-16 fighter jets.

Since then, multiple NATO members have committed to sending the US-made jets known for their precision and speed, and Ukrainian pilots have been training extensively in NATO countries for their deployment.

Ukraine says it expects the jets to enhance its air superiority against Russia and provide better defense for its troops and infrastructure.

In May, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Ukraine needs about 130 F-16s for air parity with Russia, but Western pledges fall short of this number.

Russia warned that to target any F-16 or other Western military equipment sent to Ukraine would constitute legitimate targets.