European Parliament urges EU countries to increase arms supplies to Ukraine
Chair of the European Parliament's Defense Committee, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann (Getty Images)
Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, Chair of the European Parliament's Defense Committee, is calling on the governments of Germany and other European Union countries to increase arms supplies to Ukraine, citing ZDF.
She also urged the West to take further measures to enhance the effectiveness of the American F-16 fighter jets recently delivered to Ukraine.
"This is an important signal and effective support that the F-16s are finally being delivered," the politician said.
Strack-Zimmermann emphasized that Europe must not lose resolve.
"All states—not just Germany—must do everything possible to protect Ukraine and enable it to continue defending itself," she said.
In her view, this includes both supporting air defense units and supplying Taurus cruise missiles, regardless of the opinion of the German Chancellery.
Ukraine receives first F-16s
At the end of July, Ukraine received its first F-16 fighter jets from Western partners.
The exact number of aircraft in Ukraine is still unknown. The Times reported that Ukraine received six jets from the Netherlands, while The Economist claims that the first ten F-16s have arrived in Ukraine. Another ten jets are expected to be delivered by the end of the year, with the remaining promised aircraft to be delivered in batches in 2025.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the current number of F-16s on Ukrainian soil is still insufficient, but Ukraine expects additional jets from its partners.
