MOSCOW, May 3. /TASS/. Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky is confident that Western allies will send warplanes to Kiev after the Ukrainian armed forces launch a counteroffensive.

"Why I'm sure we'll have airplanes? Because soon we will have offensive actions. And after them, I am sure, they will give us planes," he said at a joint press conference with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto in Helsinki on Wednesday.

Zelensky explained that his confidence stemmed from what happened in the past. According to him, previous decisions on providing military equipment to Kiev were made after Ukraine had taken active steps.

Ukrainian Air Force Command Spokesman Yury Ignat said earlier that Kiev needed up to 200 Western-made multirole aircraft, with US-made F-16 jets being the best option, followed by France’s Rafale fighters and Sweden’s Gripen aircraft. Ukraine has long been insisting that its partners should provide Kiev with advanced warplanes, long-range missiles and air defense systems.