Belgium is already sending F-16s to Ukraine this year

The federal government has decided to send F-16s to Ukraine this year. Waiting longer was not an option, now that the Russians were gaining ground at the front.

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Belgium will send two to four F-16s to Kiev before the end of the year. Ukraine will therefore receive the Belgian F-16s a few months earlier than originally planned. In October, the government announced that delivery would not be possible until 2025 at the earliest and that it would therefore be up to the next government to make that decision. Much to the dismay of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. At the time, he called the decision a dangerous one. “It’s a long war. Everyone fears something else is happening. Another war, for example, what happens to our military support? We count on our relationships. To the US, to friends from the EU.”

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But in the meantime the situation of the Ukrainians has become dire. The Russians are winning the war of attrition at the front. The Ukrainians are almost out of ammunition and things are not looking good in terms of men either. The Western allies have now woken up.

After months of wrangling between Republicans and Democrats, the US has released a $61 billion aid package. The British will throw in another £500 million and will supply ammunition, anti-aircraft defense and vehicles.

Belgium already contributes to the F-16 coalition, founded by Denmark and the Netherlands, but did so mainly by training Ukrainian technicians. “At least as important,” said Defense Minister Ludivine Dedonder (PS). “The coalition is therefore complementary: a number of countries supply aircraft, others help train pilots and technicians.”

READ ALSO.LIVE. Follow all the news about the war in Ukraine here