Belgium to take part in training of Ukrainian pilots on F-16

This was stated by Belgian Defense Minister Ludivine Dedonder, Le Soir reports.

According to her, in the coming weeks, the Ministry of Defense will deploy a group of three soldiers at a training center for Ukrainian F-16 pilots in Denmark, which provided its Skrydstrup air base in the south of the country.

In 2024, the Ministry of Defense will deploy two F-16s - a two-seat F-16B trainer aircraft - to Denmark for advanced training, as well as a detachment of about fifty soldiers, mostly technicians, to support the deployment of the F-16s.

In this way, Belgium is contributing to building up Ukraine's aviation capabilities and sharing the experience gained over several decades, Dedonder emphasized.

It is worth noting that on September 5, Belgium announced that it would not provide Ukraine with F-16 fighters because they are outdated and in poor condition.

F-16 fighters for Ukraine

• On May 21, US President Joe Biden approved the training of Ukrainians on F-16s. Volodymyr Zelenskyy assured that Ukraine would not use these aircraft to strike at Russian territory. 
• Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba says that the first F-16 fighter jets are likely to fly in Ukraine's skies by the end of March 2024.
• On August 17, the United States approved the shipment of F-16 multi-role fighters to Ukraine.
• Denmark said it would supply Ukraine with 19 aircraft, provided they are not used on the territory of the Russian Federation. It is known that the first group of pilots has already begun training on F-16s in Denmark.
• The Netherlands will provide Ukraine with 42 fighters, Norway will provide Ukraine with F-16s, but the exact number is unknown.