Belgium will supply Ukraine with 30 F-16 fighters by 2028. Ukraine can use them only on its territory

She said this on RTL.

According to the minister, the first aircraft should be delivered “by the end of the year.”

Lahbib noted that this commitment will be formalized in a security guarantee agreement to be signed today by Ukraine and Belgium during the visit of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

According to the outlet, the Belgian Defense Ministry will also supply ammunition from its stockpile to equip F-16s for Ukraine.

According to the Belgian foreign minister, this support for Kyiv is necessary to stop Russian leader Vladimir Putin, who is determined to push back the borders of European countries and ensure the security of Belgium.

At the same time, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander de Croo said that Ukraine will be able to use the F-16 fighter jets and other weapons supplied by his country only on its territory. According to him, this is the condition specified in the agreement.

He also emphasized that his country would do its best to provide several of the 30 aircraft promised by 2028 this year. 

“This can be a good contribution to the assistance of other countries that are also providing F-16s this year. This is a very important signal to clearly state that Ukraine will have a full-fledged air capability with these fighters this year and in the following years. Our goal is to provide this capability, the aircraft themselves, but also training and maintenance,” emphasized Croo.

• In late April, Belgium decided to supply Ukraine with F-16 fighter jets this year, but did not name the exact timing. Later it was reported that the first F-16s from the West would arrive in Ukraine by July.