Belgium will allocate a defense aid package of €1 billion to Ukraine.
Belgian Prime Minister Bart de Wever said this during a joint press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Interfax Ukraine reports.
The funds will be used to purchase weapons and strengthen the Ukrainian defense industry, in particular for the production of new types of weapons.
In addition, the Belgian Prime Minister clarified that his country will supply Ukraine with two F-16 fighter jets for spare parts in 2025 and hopes to be able to supply two more F-16s in 2026.
“This year we will deliver two F-16s for parts. Next year we will definitely deliver two fighters. We hope to do more, but we depend on the delivery of the F-35. There are no delays in Belgium, but there are delays with the F-35. As soon as the F-35 arrives, the F-16 flies away. It’s very simple,” he said.
Earlier, in early March 2025, Bart de Wever reported that Belgium would deliver the combat-ready F-16 fighters it had previously promised to Ukraine in 2026 — but did not specify the number at the time. Initially, there was talk of deliveries of these aircraft at the end of 2025.
The country has agreed to hand over its F-16s to Ukraine as it has acquired the next-generation F-35 fighter jets. However, they are arriving late, so deliveries to Ukraine are also being delayed.
- On October 6, 2024, the countryʼs Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans officially confirmed that the first F-16s from the Netherlands had arrived in Ukraine. In total, four countries agreed to transfer F-16 fighters to Ukraine: the Netherlands (24 aircraft), Denmark (19 aircraft), Belgium (30 aircraft by 2028 ) and Norway — 6 aircraft.
For more news and in-depth stories from Ukraine please follow us on X.