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Belgium will deliver 10 F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine this year as Kyiv seeks to strengthen its defenses against Russian missile and drone attacks, Prime Minister Bart De Wever said Thursday.
Speaking after the first day of an EU summit in Brussels, De Wever said he discussed Ukraine’s military needs with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a bilateral meeting on the sidelines.
“We will supply 10 this year,” De Wever said. “We have fallen a little behind because of delays with the F-35s, but those are now starting to arrive, which will enable us to send F-16s to Ukraine.”
De Wever said Ukraine urgently needed operational fighter jets and described F-16s as among the few weapons capable of effectively defending against Russian jet-powered drones.
The two leaders also discussed the possibility of Belgium providing additional ammunition for the aircraft, including munitions manufactured by Belgian defense company FN Herstal.
Zelenskyy said in a post on X after the meeting that F-16s were playing a significant role in intercepting Russian jet-powered Shahed drones.
“We are working with Belgium to receive additional fighter jets as soon as possible,” Zelenskyy said. “We also discussed the possibility of additional supplies of munitions for them.”
He said Russian attacks on Thursday had struck energy facilities in two regions, leaving nearly 15,000 people without electricity in Volyn, while parts of Kyiv and the surrounding region were experiencing partial power outages.
Zelenskyy said repair crews in some communities were unable to begin restoration work because of the threat of Russian double-tap strikes.
“Every decision on defense support saves lives,” he said, thanking Belgium for its assistance and willingness to continue supporting Ukraine.
De Wever and Zelenskyy also discussed Ukraine’s financing needs.
De Wever did not provide further details on the possible use of frozen Russian assets, most of which are held at Belgium-based Euroclear, to support Kyiv.
Belgium has previously opposed a proposal to use the frozen assets to finance a reparations loan for Ukraine, citing potential legal and financial risks.
During a separate audience with Belgium’s King Philippe, Zelenskyy thanked Belgium for its continued support and stressed the need to strengthen Ukraine’s air defenses against Russian missile and drone attacks.
He also called for frozen Russian assets to remain immobilized throughout the war, arguing that Moscow should not regain access to financial resources that could be used to finance further attacks or destabilize Europe.
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