Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Ukraine's president, second right, and Mark Rutte, Netherlands prime minister, centre, during a tour of a hanger containing F-16 fighter jets ahead of a news conference at an airbase near Eindhoven, Netherlands, on Sunday, Aug. 20.(Photo: Bloomberg)

The pledge is the first real promise of F-16's for Ukraine's armed forces and comes a few days after the United States approved the possible delivery of the fighter jets by the two countries. 

Zelenskiy called the decision a “breakthrough agreement” and said the planes would help strengthen Ukraine’s air defence. 

Denmark will deliver 19 jets in total, with the first six due to be shipped to Ukraine around New Year, followed by eight in 2024 and five the following year, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said. 

The Netherlands has 42 F-16s available in all but has yet to decide whether all of them will be donated, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said earlier on Sunday, when Zelenskiy visited the country.