Belgium wants to deliver the first F-16s to Ukraine this year. The government is also releasing more than 200 million euros to participate in a German initiative to supply air defense to Ukraine.
Prime Minister Alexander De Croo and Minister of Defense Ludivine Dedonder (PS) announced this at a press conference on Friday, after the nuclear cabinet had discussed the situation in Ukraine earlier in the day.
The nuclear cabinet discussed the situation in Ukraine on Friday morning. “That is extremely difficult,” said Prime Minister De Croo. Due to a shortage of air defenses, the Ukrainians are having difficulty protecting their airspace against Russian artillery, while the Russians currently appear to have the advantage on the eastern front. ‘There is an enormous need for armaments. The Ukrainian side has one demand and that is any possible anti-aircraft capability to ensure that Russian drones and missiles no longer hit the population. 97 percent of attacks happen on civilian targets,” De Croo said.
On Friday, the top ministers of the federal government decided that all Belgian F-16s will eventually be delivered to Ukraine. The general staff is asked to aim for a first delivery this year. That will also depend on our own operational objectives, the Prime Minister said. Deliveries in the coming years depend on the arrival of the F-35 fighter planes, which will replace the F-16s.
F-16s delivered early
During the visit of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to Belgium in October last year, Prime Minister De Croo announced that our country would be able to supply F-16 fighter aircraft from 2025. It would be up to the next government to make a final decision on this. Minister Dedonder noted on Friday that, with the end of the legislature in sight, the government does not want to leave such important decisions for the current government. “We are taking them today in the interest of defending Ukraine and the Ukrainian people,” Dedonder said. Our country is also continuing to train Ukrainian pilots in Denmark and technicians for the maintenance and support of the F-16 fleet. Defense will also supply ammunition from its own stocks to allow the Ukrainian F-16 pilots to provide close air support to the ground troops.
In addition, additional ordnance is supplied, also from our own stocks, for air defense systems to protect the civilian population and critical infrastructures.
Finally, 205 million euros will go to the purchase of anti-aircraft defense, as part of a German initiative. Prime Minister De Croo reiterated that this investment does not involve Belgian taxpayers’ money. The resources come from taxes on Russian assets that are frozen in our country.
