WARSAW: Norway has pledged to donate six F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine to bolster its defence against Russian air attacks, the Norwegian government announced on Wednesday.
The announcement coincided with a NATO summit in Washington where leaders of member states are expected to unveil additional aid for Ukraine in response to Russia’s invasion in February 2022.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy is pressing NATO for increased military support, including weapons, financial assistance, and security assurances, in hopes of altering the course of the conflict.
Meanwhile, tensions remain high at the Poland-Belarus border, with four of six crossings now closed. Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski has not ruled out a complete closure.
In June, European Union countries imposed sanctions on Belarus to curb the flow of goods from Russia into EU territory, aimed at circumventing sanctions related to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Belarusian opposition activists continue to advocate for the closure of the key Kukuryki-Kozlovichi crossing, urging Poland to pressure Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, to release political prisoners.
The Belarusian customs authority reported that Poland ceased allowing cargo vehicles from Belarus via the Kukuryki-Kozlovichi crossing as of 3 a.m. local time on Wednesday. Currently, around 600 trucks are queued from Kozlovichi in Belarus to Kukuryki in Poland, compared to none the previous day. Traffic into Belarus remains operational but slower due to enhanced checks associated with the new sanctions.
Justyna Pasieczynska, spokesperson for Poland’s National Revenue Administration, clarified that while traffic is moving with some delay, the checkpoint is open and functioning in compliance with the new sanctions regulations.
