The Belgian Prime Minister announced the number of F-16 fighter jets that will be transferred to Ukraine

Belgian Prime Minister Bart de Wever announced that by the end of this year, the country will transfer ten F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine. He made this statement following a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Brussels, which took place on the sidelines of the EU summit.

According to De Wever, the aircraft will help Ukraine defend itself against Russian drones.

“Ukraine urgently needs combat-ready fighter jets, and we can make our contribution,” said the Belgian prime minister.

He did not provide additional details regarding the bilateral meeting, but noted that the issue of the F-16s was “obviously” discussed.

Under commitments made by the previous Belgian government, the country is to transfer its aging fleet of F-16s to Ukraine as they are replaced with new F-35 fighter jets. Initially, the plan was to deliver 30 F-16s by 2028, but the schedule depends on the phased delivery of the F-35s, the article states.

De Wever said that delays in the F-35 program have slowed the process, but now that the new aircraft are beginning to arrive, it is possible to transfer the F-16s to Ukraine.

“We fell a little behind due to prolonged delays related to the F-35, but they are starting to arrive, which allows us to transfer F-16s to Ukraine. We will transfer 10 aircraft this year,” he said.

This was reported by The Brussels Times.

As a reminder, Ukraine expects to receive additional F-16 fighter jets from Belgium by the end of 2026, while also facing a shortage of missiles for the Patriot systems and restrictions on Starlink operations. 

During a conversation with Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy discussed the need for additional F-16 fighter jets and ammunition for them.