Zelensky meets 'fighter jet coalition' leaders at Moldova summit

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with the leaders of the informal 'fighter jet coalition' during the 2nd European Political Community Summit in Moldova on June 1.

The parties agreed to start training Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighter jets in the near future and discussed the future supply of aircraft.

Zelensky was joined by British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, and Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo.

The leaders agreed to formalize the coalition under the name 'Ukraine's Sky Shield' at the next Rammstein Summit of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, following consultations with U.S. representatives.

The U.K. and the Netherlands agreed on May 17 to build the "jet fighter coalition" to provide Ukraine with F-16 aircraft and train Ukrainian pilots.

Other nations, including Denmark, Portugal, and the U.S. also joined the initiative.