President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever, who made Ukraine the destination of his first visit since taking office.
The President expressed gratitude to Belgium for its consistent support of Ukraine since the first days of Russia’s full-scale invasion.
“This includes defense, political, and humanitarian support, in particular support for Ukrainians in Belgium. But most importantly, at the heart of our partnership is a shared sense of justice. Belgium stands with us in believing in the righteousness of our defense and the injustice of Russian aggression,” the President said.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy extended special thanks to Belgium and Prime Minister De Wever personally for a new €1 billion defense aid package. According to Bart De Wever, Belgium will provide the same amount in military support to Ukraine each year.
Accompanying the Prime Minister were representatives from ten Belgian defense companies. One of the key topics of the meeting was joint arms production and investment in Ukraine's defense industry.
“We need to help Ukraine build greater self-defense capabilities and also prepare Europe for potential future aggression from Russia. It’s essential that we work together so that the private sector sees attractive opportunities to invest and help expand our collective defense manufacturing capabilities,” the Prime Minister of Belgium said.
The Ukrainian President also highlighted Belgium’s role in strengthening Ukraine’s air force, adding that work is ongoing to secure the delivery of F-16 fighter jets.
He also emphasized Ukraine’s appreciation for Belgium’s support of its EU membership bid.
“The EU with Ukraine will definitely have greater potential. And the same goes for NATO. The Alliance is definitely more powerful with Ukraine in it. I am confident this understanding will eventually be shared by the entire Alliance. But we are already working on security guarantees for Ukraine, and, in particular, Belgium is among the countries committed to participating in the coalition of those willing and capable of guaranteeing security,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized.
The two leaders also discussed the issue of maintaining sanctions against Russia.
“It’s crucial for us that all sanctions – including those related to the shadow fleet, energy, and frozen assets – remain in place, so that Russia is not absolved of anything. We share the same understanding: these funds must not go back to Russia,” the Head of State emphasized.
