Belgium will make F-16s available to Ukraine from 2025, but specified that the decision will need to be confirmed by the next government, Prime Minister Alexander De Croo announced at a press conference alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday.
"It's an honour to welcome you here in Brussels," De Croo said to the Ukrainian President in a joint press conference following a surprise meeting. The two leaders meet following Zelenskyy's visit to the NATO headquarters.
The Prime Minister agreed that Belgium could send combat aircraft to Ukraine, after months of heavy lobbying by the Ukrainian President. However, the decision will need to be confirmed by the next government, De Croo clarifies, which will be elected following the May 2024 elections.
The news on F-16s was initially announced by Defence Minister Ludivine Dedonder (PS) on Wednesday morning in an interview with Bel RTL. The minister confirmed that Belgium will send F-16s to Ukraine "from 2025, depending on how soon the 34 new F-35 fighter jets are delivered to Belgium.
Dedonder explained that the deal will involve training Ukrainian pilots, as already announced. In addition, Belgium will take charge of all maintenance for the coalition's F-16 aircraft. It was initially planned that Belgium would contribute to the programme of sending European combat aircraft to Ukraine, but only by helping to train pilots.
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Prime Minister Alexander De Croo after a meeting in Brussels, Wednesday 11 October 2023. Credit: Belga / Eric Lalmand
Belgium's Defence had previously argued that the Belgian F-16s were too old. Some of these jets have been in service for nearly 40 years. However, the government's MR ministers Hadja Lahbib and David Clarinval insisted that the possibility of sending Belgian F-16s should be studied in depth, not least because not all the aircraft have been used to the same extent.
Diamonds and billion euro fund
Speaking in the press conference, the Belgian leader also confirmed that his country would continue to supply Ukraine with aid and military equipment, while also pursuing the aim of excluding Russian diamonds from the market by tracing their origin.
The Belgian Prime Minister pointed out that Belgium had set up a €1.7 billion fund to help Ukraine as part of the new federal budget. The money is drawn from the taxation of Russian assets that are frozen within the Euroclear banking platform, which is located in Brussels.
"I hope that these measures can be a source of inspiration for the other countries of the European Union," De Croo added.
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Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky pictured during the press conference in Brussels.
Credit: Belga / Eric Lalmand[/caption]
The Ukrainian President arrived in Belgium on Tuesday evening and met with Prime Minister De Croo. Foreign Affairs Minister Hadja Lahbib (MR), Defence Minister Ludivine Dedonder (PS) and Development Cooperation Minister Caroline Gennez (Vooruit).
The upcoming Belgian Presidency of the European Union and a number of bilateral issues were discussed during the talks.
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Prime Minister Alexander De Croo himself referred to the war on Tuesday in his State of the Union address to Belgian MPs. "Ukraine will be liberated", he said. "To do that, it must gain supremacy in its airspace. Only then can the terrible air strikes stop. As a member of the F-16 coalition, we are contributing to this along with 15 other countries".
Within the majority, the MR party is nevertheless insisting that aircraft be delivered, but according to Defence, this is not possible from an operational point of view. The country itself needs its F-16s for training and to defend the airspace over the Benelux and Baltic States.
