Dutch Defense Minister Kajsa Ollongren assured Kyiv that the 24 F-16 fighter jets that the Netherlands intends to transfer to Ukraine can be used to strike targets in Russia. She said this in an interview with Politico.

Ollongren noted that the Netherlands will not impose restrictions, as was the case with Belgium, where Prime Minister Alexander De Croo warned Kyiv not to attack targets in Russian airspace with F-16s.

Ollongren said that “there are no Belgian-style restrictions”.

“We apply the same principle that we have applied to any other supply of capabilities: once we give them to Ukraine, they can use them. We only ask them to respect international law and the right of self-defense as set out in the UN Charter, which means they use it to achieve the military objectives they need to achieve in self-defense,” she added.

Ollongren will step down as Dutch Defense Minister after the new government is sworn in. She expressed hope that the new government will continue to support NATO and Ukraine.

“I think it is very important that we continue to play this role. In the new government's program, I saw that support for Ukraine will continue, that the new government also values the European Union, NATO, etc.", she said.