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

SOMEWHERE IN UKRAINE (AP) — Ukraine’s newly arrived F-16 fighter jets were put on display Sunday by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who said the planes will boost the country’s war effort against Russia. 

“These jets are in our sky and today you see them,” said Zelenskyy, 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 neighboring countries to help defend it against Russian missiles, Zelenskyy said.

“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 neighboring 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 Zelenskyy’s address to Air Forces Day, an event held under tight security at an undisclosed location to protect the fighter jets from Russian attacks.