President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that Ukraine aims for the complete and effective integration of its Air Force with NATO forces.

Source: Zelenskyy in his address; official presidential website

Details: In his address on Ukraine’s Air Force Day, Zelenskyy said he had decorated Air Force personnel and received briefings on the development of all components of the Air Force, particularly combat aircraft, anti-aircraft missile units and air surveillance troops.

“All components are gaining proper strength. This year alone, our Air Force has received Mirage fighter jets from France as well as additional F-16s. More are on the way,” he said.

Zelenskyy also reported that new development stages for combat aircraft – new platforms and further steps towards integrating Ukrainian forces with those of partner countries – had been approved on Sunday 3 August.

Quote: “Our goal is the full and effective integration of Ukraine’s Air Force with NATO forces. This will undoubtedly provide more capabilities for our defence and at the same time make our country a stronger part of Europe’s collective security.”

More details: The presidential website also reported that Zelenskyy had held a meeting on Air Force development strategy with the Air Force Command and the Defence Ministry leadership.

The president was briefed on the progress of Ukraine’s 20-year military aircraft development strategy and the steps required to meet its objectives. The briefing also covered the effectiveness of aircraft in repelling Russian attacks, with a focus on Western-made warplanes supplied by partners.

During the meeting, the participants outlined priorities for integrating foreign equipment into the defence forces and training personnel to operate it.

Background: On 3 August, Zelenskyy appointed Lieutenant General Anatolii Kryvonozhko as the commander of Ukraine’s Air Force, a position that had remained vacant for over a year.

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