Belgium to deliver 10 F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine by end of 2026 – PM

Belgium announced on October 15 that it will deliver ten F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine this year, according to Prime Minister Bart De Wever. De Wever made the announcement at a press conference with Kyiv Independent, following a meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky during the European Council meeting in Brussels. The delivery of the F-16s comes as Belgium modernizes its air force with U.S.-made F-35 fighter jets, and some of the F-16s will be transferred to Ukraine.

Zelensky had previously stated that Belgium would provide three F-16s to Ukraine by the end of the year. De Wever emphasized the urgent need for these fighter jets, citing their capability to defend Ukraine against Russia's Geran-5 jet-powered drones, which are designed to force Ukraine to surrender. The Geran-5 drone is a fast, high-flying threat that can target civilian infrastructure including supermarkets, schools, shopping malls, telecommunications infrastructure, data centers, gas stations, and medical facilities.

The prime minister and Zelensky also discussed the possibility of supplying Ukraine with ammunition for the F-16s. These multi-purpose fighter jets have been utilized in both offensive and defensive operations, such as intercepting Russian missiles and drones during aerial strikes against Ukraine, and launching missiles at Russian positions along the front line.