Belgium wants to send F16s and a billion euros in military aid to Ukraine this year

In a meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said Belgium aims to deliver the first F16 fighter jets to Ukraine by the end of the year. He also promised Kyiv at least €977 million in military aid. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo signed a bilateral security agreement in Brussels on Tuesday. It includes the provision of at least €977 million in military aid for this year and continuous support for Kyiv over the next 10 years. The document also says that Belgium will supply Kyiv with 30 F-16 fighter jets by 2028. The first planes are expected to arrive already this year.

In 2023, Belgium first announced it would provide Kyiv with F-16s. That decision was ratified last month but it remained unclear how many fighter jets Belgium would donate. That is now cleared up in the security agreement. Apart from the fighter jets, the document also focuses on other needs, including air defences, artillery, and armoured vehicles. There will also be further cooperation on intelligence, cyber security and tackling disinformation. 

Zelensky arrived in Belgium on Monday, one day after his trip to Spain, where he also signed a security agreement with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. During the remainder of his visit to Brussels, Zelensky will still be received by the king and go to the Melsbroek military airport with Defence Minister Ludivine Dedonder to meet the pilots, instructors and technicians of the F-16s.

^{Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky and Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo meet in Brussels © PHOTO DIRK WAEM}