Belgium pledges €1 billion in annual aid to Ukraine as defence ties deepen
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has thanked Belgium for a new €1 billion support package announced during prime minister Bart De Wever's first official visit to Ukraine on Tuesday.
De Wever (N-VA) was invited by Zelensky after their first meeting in Brussels last month. He is visiting Ukraine accompanied by Foreign minister Maxime Prévot (Les Engagés) and Defence minister Theo Francken (N-VA). The delegation held talks with Ukrainian counterparts this afternoon.
De Wever confirmed that Belgium would provide €1 billion in aid and pledged to maintain this level of support annually throughout his term in office. He also reaffirmed Belgium's commitment to delivering the promised F-16 fighter jets.
As soon as the F-35s arrive, the F-16s will leave. It's as simple as that
"This year we will deliver two F-16s for spare parts, and next year we will deliver at least two operational fighters. We hope to deliver more, but we are dependent on the arrival of the F-35s. There is no delay on the Belgian side, but the F-35 programme itself is facing delays. As soon as the F-35s arrive, the F-16s will leave. It's as simple as that," he said.
Consistent support
On social media, President Zelensky thanked Belgium, describing the €1 billion as a significant contribution that will really help save lives. He noted that Belgium has consistently supported Ukraine since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion - militarily, politically and through humanitarian aid and refugee reception.
Zelensky also announced three new agreements with Belgian defence companies, saying they had discussed joint arms production and investment in production on Ukrainian territory - steps that will benefit the whole of Europe. The agreements are currently being finalised.
Bucha visit
Before this afternoon's talks, the Belgian delegation visited Bucha, a town approximately 25 kilometres from Kyiv that became a symbol of Russian war crimes following the killing of hundreds of civilians and prisoners of war in 2022. In Kyiv, De Wever laid a wreath at the Wall of Remembrance to honour the victims.
"In Bucha we were confronted with the horrible atrocities of war, a sobering moment of reflection which touched me deeply on a personal level. At the Wall of Remembrance we honoured and paid our respects to the innocent lives lost to the unprovoked and unjustified Russian aggression. It reminds us that behind every statistic there is a person, a story and a family", the Belgian prime minister wrote on X.
© Genya SAVILOV / AFP
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