In Brussels, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Prime Minister of Belgium Alexander De Croo signed a bilateral Agreement on Security Cooperation and Long-Term Support.
Belgium will allocate at least €977 million in military aid to Ukraine this year. This commitment, as well as the readiness to support our country over the ten-year term of the agreement, is enshrined in this document.
For the first time, such a security agreement contains a specific number of military aircraft to be provided to Ukraine – 30 F-16s by 2028. And the first fighter jets 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 air force and air defense needs, naval security, mine clearance, as well as within the artillery ammunition coalition. It will also facilitate military training.
Separate blocks of the document focus on 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.
Belgium is the 11th country with which Ukraine has signed a bilateral security agreement in furtherance 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.
