Zelensky announces agreement with Belgium on transfer of three F-16 jets by year-end
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on 29 September that Ukraine and Belgium have reached an agreement on the transfer of three F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine by the end of the year under an accelerated procedure. He said Ukraine has already received urgent ammunition supplies for F-16s from Belgium and other countries, including Spain, and thanked Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever and the Belgian government for their support in response to Russian strikes.
Key points
- Zelensky announced the agreement with Belgium on 29 September via social media posts (Telegram, X, Facebook).
- Ukraine is to receive three F-16 fighter jets from Belgium by the end of the year under an expedited procedure.
- Zelensky said the additional aircraft are needed because Russia is escalating daily and Ukraine needs more capability to shoot down aerial targets and protect people.
- Ukraine has already received urgent ammunition supplies for F-16s from Belgium and other countries, including Spain.
- Zelensky thanked Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever and the Belgian government for decisive steps in support of Ukraine in response to Russian strikes.
- In June, Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken said Belgium planned to transfer seven F-16s this year — four for spare parts and three for active use — and indicated he would propose transferring all Belgian F-16s in coming years.
- As of early 2026, Belgium had not yet transferred any of the 30 F-16s it had promised, citing postponed delivery timelines for new F-35s.
Why it matters
Belgium had previously delayed handing over its promised F-16 fleet, citing postponed F-35 deliveries, so a new accelerated commitment signals a shift in Belgium's position. Kyiv frames the jets as urgently needed to counter escalating Russian aerial attacks, and the deal fits into a broader pattern of European allies coordinating F-16 supplies, including a parallel ammunition effort involving Belgium and Spain.
What happened
On 29 September, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced via his Telegram and other social media accounts that Ukraine and Belgium had reached an agreement to transfer three F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine by the end of the year under an accelerated procedure. He said Ukraine has already received urgent shipments of ammunition for F-16s from Belgium and other countries, naming Spain specifically. Zelensky thanked Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever and the Belgian government for decisive support in response to Russian strikes, and justified the need for additional aircraft by citing Russia's daily escalation and the requirement to shoot down aerial targets and protect people.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
Ukrainian outlets present Zelensky as the authoritative announcer of the agreement and frame the three F-16s as a direct response to escalating Russian strikes. Coverage highlights gratitude toward Prime Minister Bart De Wever, emphasizes the urgency and accelerated nature of the transfer, and spotlights Spain alongside Belgium in the parallel ammunition effort.
How international sources describe it
The single international agency report in the available sources, from the Azerbaijani agency APA, largely mirrors the Ukrainian framing but presents the announcement more as a presidential claim of a "pact" rather than as a fully confirmed bilateral agreement, adopting a more cautious tone.
Where reporting differs
Sources disagree on the precise year of the end-of-year delivery deadline for the three Belgian F-16s. Most articles and facts describe it as the end of 2026 or simply "the end of this year," while at least one article (42113) states the deadline is the end of 2027.
Background
In June, Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken said Belgium planned to transfer seven F-16s to Ukraine this year — four for spare parts and three for active use — and indicated he would propose transferring all Belgian F-16s in coming years. As of early 2026, Belgium had not transferred any of the 30 F-16s it had promised, attributing the delay to postponed delivery timelines for new F-35s. Zelensky discussed the schedule for Belgian deliveries with De Wever in Brussels in June, alongside a new defense package and contributions to the PURL program. Norway's Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said in April that the first of six F-16s Norway had formally transferred to Ukraine, then undergoing comprehensive maintenance abroad, would soon be ready for missions. Ukraine uses F-16s on the front line and in the rear to intercept Russian missiles and other aerial targets, and allies have transferred dozens of F-16s to Ukraine in recent years, though exact numbers are classified.