The new Belgian Government has announced will provide Ukraine for an aid package of one billion euros this year and plans to provide a thousand more in military support each yearas the prime minister has revealed ,. He has done so during a joint press conference with the Ukrainian president, in kyiv.
According to the flamenco nationalist, the ministers They will discuss the details of this support package in the near future.
From Wever also pointed out that Belgium She is interested in helping Ukraine to build more self -defense capabilities, as well as, together. “We need to cooperate so that the private sector see interesting investment opportunities and to build more capacities for our military-industrial complex,” he emphasized.
Wever Bart, however, threw A small jug of cold water About Zelenski, since he assured that Ukraine He will receive two F-16 from Belgium … but at the end of this year, not before, and those planes will be used for spare parts. What is the delay? To that the armed forces of Belgium They are waiting for a game of airplanes, of American originand until then you don’t want to give off the fighters longest. The Belgium Prime Minister said that, as soon as he receives the F-35, Ukraine may immediately receive the F-16.
“We promised to become the largest supplier from F-16 to Ukraine. Of course, we will fulfill our word. This year two F-16 will arrive for spare parts. Next year two planes will arrive, “he emphasized, expressing his hope that the number of airplanes be greater in the future.
“But we are waiting for F-35. There are no delays on our part. As soon as we receive the F-35, Ukraine can receive immediately The F-16. We will immediately deliver the F-16 that we promised to Ukraine, “he said. Belgium announced that 30 F-16 combat aircraft will be transferred to Ukraine. This step occurred when Belgium acquired a new generation of combat aircraft: the F-35.
The details
Belgium announced in 2018 that he would acquire 34 fifth generation aircraft, which will replace the 54 F-16 of the Belgian aerial component. Although the first Belgian F-35 was received in December 2024, the plane is located at the Luke air base in Arizona, United States, where future Belgian F-35 pilots will be trained.
It is planned that more Belgian F-35 will arrive at the Luke air base in the coming months. Like most of the states that have bought US -fifth generation planes, Belgium prepares to develop Your own training capacity For F-35 pilots.
Experienced Belgian pilots participate in the course Simulator Subject Matter Experta program that will allow Belgium andstabing your own academic training center in your country. This supposes that they will have iqualified local nstructors and simulators.
