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Belgian PM De Wever pledges 10 F-16s for Ukraine by year-end
Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever announced that 10 F-16s would be sent to Ukraine by the end of this year after meeting Vladimir Zelenskiy in Brussels. The fact that four aircraft previously announced as transferred are still in hangars in Belgium has kept debate going over the delivery schedule and the jets’ technical condition.
Ukraine’s need for F-16s that can be used in the war has returned to the agenda in talks between Brussels and Kyiv, with Belgium making a new delivery commitment. Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever said they would send 10 F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine by the end of this year.
De Wever made the announcement after meeting Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskiy in Brussels on the sidelines of a European Union summit. The prime minister linked delays to the delivery plan to problems with the arrival of F-35 aircraft, saying that the arrival of those jets would make it possible to send the F-16s to Ukraine.
We will send 10 aircraft this year. We have fallen a little behind schedule, but the F-35s have started arriving, and this will allow us to send the F-16s to Ukraine.
The meeting also addressed the delivery to Ukraine of F-16 ammunition produced by Belgium-based FN Herstal. De Wever said Kyiv urgently needed F-16 aircraft that could be used in the war.
Zelenskiy, who met with Belgian King Philippe and Prime Minister De Wever in Brussels, described strengthening air defenses as the top priority and raised the issue of supplying additional ammunition for the F-16s. Zelenskiy also called for Russian assets frozen in the European Union to remain blocked. Kyiv has asked for these assets, most of which are held in Belgium, to be used to support Ukraine, while Belgium continues to voice concerns about the legal and financial risks such a move could create.
F-16 deliveries were previously postponed
In May 2024, the Belgian government pledged to begin F-16 deliveries by the end of that year. However, the delivery dates were subsequently postponed several times.
Assessments in September 2026 indicated that four aircraft previously announced as officially transferred to Ukraine remained at the SABCA facility in Gosselies, Belgium. Assessments said the aircraft were being used to train Ukrainian technical personnel, could not be used for flights because of their age and, at best, could be considered a source of spare parts.
The condition of the three F-16s planned for delivery by the end of 2026 also became a subject of debate. Reports focused on assessments that the aircraft had around 8,000 flight hours behind them and had completed most of their service lives.
The jets’ technical condition is also under scrutiny
Belgium’s new pledge has brought into focus not only when the F-16s will reach Ukraine but also how usable the aircraft being sent will be from a technical standpoint.
In previous statements, the Russian authorities argued that Western countries’ delivery of fighter jets to Ukraine would not change the situation on the battlefield and would prolong the conflict. Moscow also said that foreign military equipment supplied to Ukraine would be a legitimate target for Russia.
Source: RIA Novosti
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