Russian attack | Sanna Marin, who is visiting Kiev, flashes: Could Finnish Hornet fighter jets, which are decommissioned, be sent to Ukraine?

Foreign countries|Russian invasion

Finland will give up its Hornet fighters in the next few years. According to Prime Minister Marin, it is necessary to discuss whether Ukraine could benefit from them.

10.3. 19:05 | Updated 8:38 am

Kiev

in Kiev paraikaa Visiting Prime Minister Sanna Marin (sd) says that there should be a discussion in Finland about sending Hornet fighters to Ukraine.

Ukraine has repeatedly asked the West for fighter jets.

Finland’s current fleet of Hornets will be phased out from 2025, and will be replaced by F-35 fighters. Finland is acquiring a total of 64 Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II fighters.

There are 62 McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornets in Finland. According to Marin, their fate can be discussed. In the past, it has been reported in the public that the Hornets, which are likely to be retired, will mainly end up as spare parts.

“Yes, I think we can have a discussion regarding the Hornets as well, whether it would be possible to hand them over to Ukraine, and what kind of training it would perhaps need,” Marin said in Kyiv on Friday evening.

“But no decisions have been made, the discussions are only in the very early stages.”

According to Marini, the fighter issue requires considerable international cooperation. Each country must balance its ability to provide heavy weapons support such as fighter jets.

“Finland is in an interesting position here, because we have already made a decision on a new purchase, and we have existing equipment. We can evaluate the use of that equipment”, Marin stated.

He added that at the same time Finland’s geopolitical location must be taken into account. You have to take care of your own defense in all situations.

Marin the Minister of the Environment visited Kyiv on Friday Maria Ohisalon (green) with. During the day, Marin met the President of Ukraine to Volodymyr Zelensky and had conversations with him for more than two hours. In addition, Marin visited the funeral of a deceased hero, met wounded Ukrainian soldiers in the hospital and visited a school in Irpin near Kyiv.

The time of the visit was determined by Ukraine. President Zelenskyi sent Marin a personal invitation, to which Marin said he immediately answered “yes.”

Prime Minister Sanna Marin held a joint press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi in Kyiv on Friday afternoon. Picture: Sami Kero / HS

“Of course I told you that there are elections in Finland in a few weeks. I also told that we have a very broad national consensus in Finland and no matter how the elections turn out, Ukraine can count on Finland’s help.”

Read more: To Marin Zelensky, who is on a surprise visit to Kiev: Finland’s support for Ukraine will continue to be unbroken

In bilateral in the discussions, Zelenskyi presented Finland with concrete wishes for arms assistance. Ukraine needs heavy weaponry.

So far, Finland has made the 13th arms aid package, the value of which is estimated at 750 million euros. Marin said that the 14th package is being prepared, but even that will not be enough.

Marin stated that Ukraine will need even heavier armament as long as the war is ongoing.

“We discussed air defense in particular. In this issue too, we will need cooperation between the countries. Alone, Finland or nothing else cannot help, but together it can.”

At the EU level, joint procurement of munitions must also be discussed, i.e., in practice, speeding up the European defense industry.

Friday the discussions also brought up what Ukraine’s victory means. What counts as a win?

“Of course, it means that the Russians withdraw from the territory of Ukraine and the Ukrainians get to build their own future. That there wouldn’t be a frozen situation that could later escalate into a large-scale offensive war,” Marin stated.

He said that the partial solution is EU membership. Finland wants to help Ukraine meet the criteria so that it can become an EU member and part of the internal market. Through that, Ukraine can begin to rebuild its society.

“I think Ukraine can also become a NATO member in the future, of course the path to that is long in a country at war. But this road must also be kept open. Ukraine’s place is in the West.”