Ukraine and Belgium sign security agreement: 30 F-16s by 2028 and almost a billion euros in military aid
Kyiv • UNN
Ukraine and Belgium signed a bilateral agreement on security cooperation and long-term support, under which Belgium pledged to provide Ukraine with at least €977 million in military aid and 30 F-16 fighter jets by 2028.
Ukraine and Belgium have signed an agreement on security guarantees, the President's Office said on Tuesday, UNN reports.
Details
"In Brussels, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Kroo signed a bilateral agreement on security cooperation and long-term support," the statement reads.
Belgium will allocate at least EUR 977 million in military aid to Ukraine this year. This commitment, as well as the readiness to support our country during the ten-year term of the agreement, is enshrined in this document.
For the first time, such a security agreement specifies a specific number of military aircraft to be provided to Ukraine - 30 F-16s by 2028. At the same time, the first fighters are to be delivered this year.
Belgium guarantees that it will provide timely security assistance, modern military equipment and weapons, taking into account Ukraine's needs in the areas of air and air defense, maritime security, demining and within the coalition on ammunition, and will facilitate military training.
Separate blocks of the document are devoted to bilateral cooperation in the defense industry, support for the Ukrainian peace formula, strengthening sanctions, compensation for damages, bringing the aggressor to justice, using confiscated Russian assets for Ukraine's needs, and assistance in economic recovery and reconstruction. Cooperation in the areas of intelligence, cybersecurity, and countering disinformation will be deepened.
In the agreement, Belgium clearly reaffirms its support for Ukraine's future membership in the EU and NATO.
Addendum
Belgium is the 11th country with which Ukraine has signed a bilateral security agreement to implement the provisions of the G7 Joint Declaration adopted in Vilnius on July 12 last year. A total of 32 states have already joined the declaration. Prior to that, Ukraine signed bilateral agreements with the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Denmark, Canada, Italy, the Netherlands, Finland, Latvia, and Spain.
