Friedrich Merz, leader of Germany’s opposition Christian Democratic Union (CDU), called for increased military aid to Ukraine, including the supply of combat aircraft.
In an interview on ARD TV, Merz emphasized the importance of helping Ukraine regain control of its airspace. “These missile attacks targeting infrastructure, essential utilities, hospitals, and civilian homes cannot be effectively countered from the ground alone,” he stated.
Merz pointed to recent decisions by Denmark, the Netherlands, and Norway to send F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine. He urged Germany to follow suit, declaring, “We Germans cannot stand aside.”
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has previously stated that Ukraine requires at least 128 F-16s.
Germany’s current fighter jet inventory consists of Eurofighter and Tornado aircraft, with a total of 133 according to Statista. This places them 19th globally in terms of fighter jet numbers. The United States leads with 1,854 fighters, followed by China (1,207) and Russia (809).
Previously, Jaroslaw Kraszewski, the former commander of the missile forces and artillery of the Ground Forces of the Polish Armed Forces, shared his view, that Ukrainian forces could launch a counteroffensive if equipped with F-16 fighter jets.
Additionally, on July 10, the Prime Minister of Norway, Jonas Gahr Støre, announced that Norway is sending six F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine.
