Belgium will deliver 10 F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine this year, Prime Minister Bart De Wever said after meeting President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the European summit in Brussels Thursday evening .
De Wever said the aircraft would help Ukraine defend itself against Russian drones as Moscow’s invasion continues.
“Ukraine urgently needs operational fighter jets and we can make our contribution,” the Belgian prime minister said.
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He did not provide further details of the bilateral meeting, but said the issue of F-16s had “obviously” been discussed.
Under commitments made by the previous Belgian government, Belgium is due to transfer its ageing F-16 fleet to Ukraine as it replaces the aircraft with new F-35s.
The original plan was to deliver 30 F-16s by 2028, but the timetable depends on the phased arrival of the F-35s.
De Wever said delays to the F-35 programme had slowed the process, but that the new aircraft were now beginning to arrive, making transfers to Ukraine possible.
“We have fallen a little behind because of longer delays affecting the F-35s, but they are starting to arrive, which gives us the possibility of transferring F-16s to Ukraine,” he said. “We will deliver 10 this year.”
The two leaders also discussed munitions for the F-16s, which are produced by Belgian arms manufacturer FN Herstal.
On Ukraine’s financing needs, De Wever reaffirmed his support for Kyiv and said the European Union should continue backing the country.
“I made it clear that, as far as I am concerned, the European Union must continue to support Ukraine,” he said. “I have a clear view of how this can be done. I have not yet discussed it, but I think it will come up tomorrow and I am prepared for that.”
Zelenskyy is due to take part officially in the meeting of European leaders on Friday from 10:00.
