The Kyiv Independent Live in London: 
Belgium to transfer 3 F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine by end of 2026, Zelensky says
on Google
Belgium will provide Ukraine with three U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets by the end of the year, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sept. 29, as Russia continues to intensify attacks on Kyiv.
Zelensky said that Ukraine has already received urgent shipments of ammunition for F-16s from Belgium and other Western allies, including Spain. F-16s are an integral part of Ukraine's layered air defense and are used to down Shahed-type drones and cruise missiles.
"As Russia escalates its aggression on a daily basis, we need to increase our capabilities to shoot down aerial targets and protect our people," Zelensky said after what he called "an important agreement" with Belgium regarding the F-16 transfer.
"I thank Belgium, Prime Minister Bart De Wever, and the entire government for their decisive steps in support of Ukraine in response to Russia's brutal attacks on civilian lives."
More than four years into the full-scale war, Ukraine has increasingly struggled to secure much-needed Western military aid despite the intensifying Russian ballistic and Shahed drone attacks across Ukraine.
Ukraine received its first batch of F-16 jets in July 2024, a year after Denmark, the Netherlands, and other foreign partners launched the fighter jet coalition for Kyiv.
F-16s are used in both offensive and defensive operations. The aircraft have been used for intercepting Russian missiles and drones during aerial strikes against Ukraine. They could also be deployed to launch missiles and bombs at Russian positions along the front line.
Ukraine has up to 39 F-16 jets as of June, after accounting for combat losses, according to Defense Express, a Ukrainian information and consulting company that publishes regular war and military analysis. The jets were provided by the Netherlands and Denmark, it added.
By 2030, Ukraine could have between 96 and 129 F-16s, French Mirage fighter jets, and Swedish Gripen fighter jets in its inventory, Defense Express said in its analysis.
"We will expedite the process of receiving these aircraft," Zelensky said in the Telegram post.
