Belgium, Germany, Sweden, Netherlands announce new military aid, F-16s for Ukraine ahead of NATO defense ministers' meeting

Belgium, Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands announced new military assistance for Ukraine on June 18, including F-16 fighter jets, ahead of a meeting of NATO defense ministers in Brussels.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told journalists that strengthening Ukraine's air defenses, including Patriot systems and anti-ballistic missiles, would be among the key priorities of the meeting, particularly as Russia continues its large-scale missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian cities.

Zelensky said that around 10 countries had expressed support for the new Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) packages.

"We are grateful to all defense ministers and all countries. First of all, this is about PURL, air defense, Patriots and anti-ballistic missiles," Zelensky said.

Belgium said it would deliver seven F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine by the end of this year. Four of the aircraft would be used for spare parts, while three would be operational and help Ukraine defend its skies against Russian attacks, Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken said while speaking to journalists ahead of the meeting.

Francken also said he would propose transferring all of Belgium's remaining F-16s to Ukraine in the coming years, although the pace of deliveries depends on the arrival of new F-35 fighter jets to the Belgian Air Force.

Germany announced an additional $400 million package for Ukraine's air defenses. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said $200 million would be allocated for air defense ammunition and another $200 million for PAC-3 missiles for Patriot systems under the Jumpstart mechanism, a fast-track procurement framework. Berlin has now joined the PURL initiative for the fourth time

Sweden's Defense Ministry said it would provide another $108 million to finance military aid for Ukraine through the PURL initiative. The latest contribution is Sweden's fourth under PURL, bringing its total support through the mechanism to $543 million.

The Netherlands also announced an additional 500 million euros ($26 billion) aid package in support of Ukraine, Ukraine's Defense Ministry reported. The support includes 250 million euros ($13 billion) to strengthen Ukraine's drone capabilities and another 250 million euros ($13 billion) for the PURL initiative, including missiles intended to counter Russian ballistic threats.

During a visit to the Netherlands, Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov and his Dutch counterpart, Dilan Yesilgoz-Zegerius, also signed an agreement on defense innovation and cooperation between the two countries' defense industries.