Bart De Wever
Bart De Wever is a Belgian politician and leader of the New Flemish Alliance (N-VA), a Flemish nationalist party on the right of the political spectrum. Since 2024 he has served as Prime Minister of Belgium, heading a coalition government formed after lengthy negotiations following the 2024 federal elections.
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Ukraine says five countries ready new aid packages; UK pledges £17m for Chernobyl shelter
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha said in an interview with Ukrinform that Ukraine has confirmation of new aid packages from at least five countries, covering energy, humanitarian, and defence needs, with volumes still being finalised. Separately, the UK announced £17 million ($22.5 million) for repairs to the Chernobyl confinement shelter damaged by a Russian drone strike the previous year, Prime Minister Serhiy Koretsky met German Chancellor Friedrich Merz to discuss air defence and sectoral cooperation, and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy began a Brussels visit meeting allied European and NATO leaders.
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More than half of Ukraine's F-16s grounded by Belgian maintenance delays
A Wall Street Journal report says more than half of Ukraine's F-16 fighters are non-combat-ready because phased technical inspections carried out by Belgian contractor Sabena Aerospace Engineering under a U.S. contract are taking far longer than in the United States. President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed to the Financial Times that roughly half the fleet is in long-term repair in Europe and said Ukraine wants to move most of that maintenance onto its own territory with Western support. Ukraine's Foreign Ministry spokesman publicly disputed the 'catastrophically low' readiness framing, saying turnaround times are actually shortening.
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Ukraine and Belgium agree on transfer of three F-16 jets by year-end
President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on 29 September 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 expedited procedure. Zelensky said Ukraine had already received ammunition 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.