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Ukraine Receives F-16s from Netherlands, 1st Mirage Jets from France

A serviceman of the 25th Separate Airborne Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, carries a Shark reconnaissance drone, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, near the frontline town of Pokrovsk in Donetsk region, Ukraine, February 5, 2025. REUTERS/Oleksandr Klymenko
A serviceman of the 25th Separate Airborne Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, carries a Shark reconnaissance drone, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, near the frontline town of Pokrovsk in Donetsk region, Ukraine, February 5, 2025. REUTERS/Oleksandr Klymenko
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Ukraine Receives F-16s from Netherlands, 1st Mirage Jets from France

A serviceman of the 25th Separate Airborne Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, carries a Shark reconnaissance drone, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, near the frontline town of Pokrovsk in Donetsk region, Ukraine, February 5, 2025. REUTERS/Oleksandr Klymenko
A serviceman of the 25th Separate Airborne Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, carries a Shark reconnaissance drone, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, near the frontline town of Pokrovsk in Donetsk region, Ukraine, February 5, 2025. REUTERS/Oleksandr Klymenko

Ukraine said on Thursday it had received a first batch of French Mirage 2000 fighter jets as well as US-made F-16 fighters from the Netherlands as European allies seek to strengthen Kyiv's hand in its war with Russia.

When Russia launched its full-scale invasion three years ago, Ukraine had only a largely outdated air force inherited from the Soviet Union when it broke up in 1991.

Now facing Russian advances in the east and long-range air strikes, Ukraine has repeatedly pressed Western allies to supply it with increasingly advanced arms and ammunition including armoured vehicles, tanks, long-range missiles and F-16 fighters.

Mirage 2000s are the latest sophisticated jets Ukraine has received from allies after the first F-16s arrived last summer, marking a military milestone for the country.

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy praised France and the Netherlands for their commitment to helping modernise Ukraine's air force.

"These modern combat aircraft have already arrived in Ukraine and will soon begin carrying out combat missions, strengthening our defense and enhancing our ability to effectively counter Russian aggression," Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said.

The exact number of F-16 and Mirage jets delivered was not revealed.
The Dutch defense ministry said that for security reasons it would not comment on the timing of deliveries, nor on the amount supplied at any given time.

The Netherlands has promised to deliver Ukraine a total of 24 F-16s, next to the fighter jets it supplies to a training center for Ukrainian pilots and crew in Romania.

French officials also cited security reasons in declining to specify how many warplanes had been supplied, although they did say the jets had been adapted to enable air-to-ground strikes, Reuters reported.

The Mirage 2000 is a multi-role, single-engine jet fighter. Last June, President Emmanuel Macron promised that France would train Ukrainian pilots to fly the Dassault-made jets, crossing a new line in military support for Kyiv.

The Mirage, which has been replaced by the Rafale fighter in the French air force, was initially conceived for aerial dogfights.
A French parliamentary report at the end of 2024 said that of the 26 Mirage 2000s in the French air force, six would be given to Ukraine.
France will on February 12 host a meeting with Ukraine, its main European allies, Britain and the United States to discuss how to strengthen support for Kyiv.

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World

Netanyahu Says India's Modi to Visit Israel Wednesday

Indian PM Narendra Modi shakes hands with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu during an exchange of cooperation agreements in a ceremony in Jerusalem July 5, 2017. (Reuters)
Indian PM Narendra Modi shakes hands with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu during an exchange of cooperation agreements in a ceremony in Jerusalem July 5, 2017. (Reuters)
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Netanyahu Says India's Modi to Visit Israel Wednesday

Indian PM Narendra Modi shakes hands with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu during an exchange of cooperation agreements in a ceremony in Jerusalem July 5, 2017. (Reuters)
Indian PM Narendra Modi shakes hands with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu during an exchange of cooperation agreements in a ceremony in Jerusalem July 5, 2017. (Reuters)

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Israel on Wednesday, his counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu announced, saying the trip will help forge a new alliance to counter what he described as "radical" adversaries.

"On Wednesday, the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, will arrive here; he will deliver a speech in the Knesset," Netanyahu said Sunday at the opening of a cabinet meeting, referring to Israel's parliament.

The premier hailed growing ties between the two countries, according to AFP.

"The fabric of relations has grown tighter, and (Modi) is coming here so that we can tighten it even more," he said, mentioning cooperation in the economic, diplomatic and security spheres.

Modi visited Israel as prime minister in 2017, before Netanyahu made a reciprocal visit to India the following year.

Netanyahu said the Israel-India axis will be part of a wider regional alliance to counter common "radical" adversaries.

"In the vision I see before me, we will create an entire system, essentially a 'hexagon' of alliances around or within the Middle East," the Israeli leader said.

Arch-foes Israel and Iran also faced each other in a first direct confrontation last June in a 12-day war in which the Israeli and US militaries targeted Tehran's nuclear facilities and ballistic missile arsenal.

"All of these nations share a different perception, and our cooperation can yield great results and, of course, ensure our resilience and our future," Netanyahu said of the emerging alliance.

World

Iranian Students Rally for Second Day as Fears of War with US Mount

People walk near a mural featuring images of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and leader of Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, on a street in Tehran, Iran, February 17, 2026. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS
People walk near a mural featuring images of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and leader of Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, on a street in Tehran, Iran, February 17, 2026. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS
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Iranian Students Rally for Second Day as Fears of War with US Mount

People walk near a mural featuring images of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and leader of Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, on a street in Tehran, Iran, February 17, 2026. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS
People walk near a mural featuring images of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and leader of Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, on a street in Tehran, Iran, February 17, 2026. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS

Iranian students gathered for fresh pro- and anti-government rallies Sunday commemorating those killed in recent protests, as fears loomed of renewed conflict with the United States over the country's nuclear programme.

The initial demonstrations were sparked in December by economic hardship in the sanctions-hit country, but quickly expanded into mass anti-government protests that marked one of the largest challenges to the Islamic republic's clerical leadership in years.

US President Donald Trump had initially cheered on the protesters, threatening to intervene on their behalf as authorities launched a deadly crackdown, but his threats soon shifted to Iran's nuclear programme, which the West believes is aimed at developing atomic weapons, AFP reported.

Washington and Tehran have since returned to the negotiating table, but Trump has simultaneously pursued a major military build-up in the Middle East aimed at pressuring Iran to cut a deal.

Following campus rallies commemorating the protest dead on Saturday, the Fars news agency on Sunday published videos of fresh crowds of dozens of people waving Iranian flags and carrying memorial photographs at universities in the capital Tehran.

One showed a rowdy gathering at Sharif University of Technology shouting "death to the shah" -- a reference to the monarchy ousted by the 1979 Islamic revolution -- as they faced off with another group, with men in uniforms between them.

Fars said there had been "tensions" at at least three universities in Tehran where some students chanted "anti-establishment" slogans.

Iran International, a media outlet based outside the country and branded a "terrorist" organization by Tehran, shared a video on social media of students holding up the pre-revolution flag at Sharif University, as well as videos of rallies at other institutions of higher learning.

A video geolocated by AFP of what appeared to be the demonstration at Sharif University showed a large crowd chanting anti-government slogans as they thronged around students waving the flag of the toppled monarchy.

The authorities acknowledge more than 3,000 deaths in the unrest, including members of the security forces and bystanders, but say the violence was caused by "terrorist acts" fuelled by Iran's enemies.

The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), however, has recorded more than 7,000 killings in the crackdown, the vast majority protesters, though the toll may be far higher.

- Negotiations -

Representatives of the US and Iran recently met in Geneva for a second round of Oman-mediated nuclear talks, with Iran promising to send a draft proposal for a deal to avert military action in the coming days.

Axios reported on Sunday, citing an unnamed senior US official, that if Iran submitted its proposal in the next 48 hours, Washington was ready to meet again "in Geneva on Friday in order to start detailed negotiations to see if we can get a nuclear deal".

The US has dispatched two aircraft carriers to the region, along with other jets and ships, and has also shored up its air defenses in the Middle East.

Trump's chief Middle East negotiator Steve Witkoff said Saturday in a Fox News interview that the president was questioning why Iran had not yet given in to US pressure.

"He's curious as to why they haven't... I don't want to use the word 'capitulated', but why they haven't capitulated," he said.

"Why, under this pressure, with the amount of seapower and naval power over there, why haven't they come to us and said, 'We profess we don't want a weapon, so here's what we're prepared to do'?"

Iran has long denied it is trying to produce nuclear weapons, but insists on its right to enrich uranium for civilian purposes.

- Fears of war -

A previous round of nuclear diplomacy last year was interrupted by Israel's surprise bombing campaign against the Islamic republic.

That sparked a 12-day conflict in June that the US briefly joined with strikes on nuclear facilities

Iran has maintained that it will defend itself in the event of any new attack.

Despite the latest talks, Iranians' fears of a new conflict have grown.

"I don't sleep well at night even while taking pills," Tehran resident Hamid told AFP, saying he worried for his "family's health... my kids and grandchildren".

IT technician Mina Ahmadvand, 46, believes that "at this stage, war between Iran and the US as well as Israel is inevitable and I've prepared myself for that eventuality".

"I don't want war to happen, but one should not fool around with the realities on the ground."

The concerns have prompted several foreign countries to urge their citizens to leave Iran, including Sweden, Serbia, Poland and Australia, which warned "commercial flights are currently available but this could change quickly".

World

France to Summon US Ambassador Charles Kushner over US Comments on Activist’s Death

The French national flag is raised at a French embassy, December 17, 2024. (Reuters)
The French national flag is raised at a French embassy, December 17, 2024. (Reuters)
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France to Summon US Ambassador Charles Kushner over US Comments on Activist’s Death

The French national flag is raised at a French embassy, December 17, 2024. (Reuters)
The French national flag is raised at a French embassy, December 17, 2024. (Reuters)

France will summon US Ambassador Charles Kushner to protest comments by the Trump administration over the beating death of a far-right activist, the foreign affairs minister said.

Jean-Noel Barrot was reacting to a statement by the State Department’s Counterterrorism Bureau, which posted on X that “reports, corroborated by the French Minister of the Interior, that Quentin Deranque was killed by left-wing militants, should concern us all.”

Deranque, a far-right activist, died of brain injuries last week from a beating in the French city of Lyon. He was attacked during a fight on the margins of a student meeting where a far-left lawmaker, Rima Hassan, was a keynote speaker, The AP news reported.

His killing highlighted a climate of deep political tensions ahead of next year’s presidential vote. French President Emmanuel Macron called for calm on Saturday as some 3,000 people joined a march in Lyon organized by far-right groups to pay tribute to Deranque.

“We reject any instrumentalization of this tragedy, which has plunged a French family into mourning, for political ends,” Barrot said. “We have no lessons to learn, particularly on the issue of violence, from the international reactionary movement.”

The State Department said in its post that “violent radical leftism is on the rise and its role in Quentin Deranque’s death demonstrates the threat it poses to public safety. We will continue to monitor the situation and expect to see the perpetrators of violence brought to justice.”

Seven people have been handed preliminary charges. The Lyon public prosecutor’s office requested that each of them be charged with intentional homicide, aggravated violence and criminal conspiracy. Six of the accused were charged on all three counts. The seventh was charged with complicity in intentional homicide, aggravated violence and criminal conspiracy.

Barrot said he has other topics to discuss with Kushner, including US decisions to impose sanctions on Thierry Breton, a former EU commissioner responsible for supervising social media rules, and Nicolas Guillou, a French judge at the International Criminal Court.

Barrot said both are targeted by “unjustified and unjustifiable” sanctions.

The Foreign Affairs Ministry did not say when the meeting will take place.

Kushner had already been summoned in August last year over his letter to Macron alleging the country did not do enough to combat antisemitism. France’s foreign officials met with a representative of the US ambassador since the diplomat did not show up.