Zelenskyy: Belgium to send three F-16 jets by year-end

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Tuesday that Belgium has committed to transferring three F-16 fighter jets to Kyiv by the end of the year, as Western allies accelerate military aid deliveries to counter Russian aerial attacks. In a statement posted on social media, Zelenskyy said Brussels and Madrid have already supplied urgent deliveries of F-16 ammunition to support existing combat aircraft operations against Russian forces.

"When Russia escalates daily, it is necessary to add capabilities for shooting down aerial targets and protecting people," he said, thanking Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever and his government for their continued backing. He emphasized that the additional fighter jets would bolster Ukraine's ability to defend against daily Russian escalation and protect civilian infrastructure from aerial bombardment, noting that the timely delivery remains critical as Moscow intensifies its strikes.

Defense and infrastructure support

The Ukrainian leader held separate talks in Kyiv with Danish parliament speaker Soren Gade to discuss sustained military assistance and air defense capabilities amid ongoing Russian strikes. Zelenskyy thanked Copenhagen for its "strong and consistent support," stressing that "financial contributions to Ukraine's defense production and direct defense assistance, first and foremost air defenses to protect against jet-powered drones and ballistic missiles, are important." He noted that Kyiv and Copenhagen could pursue joint opportunities under the European SAFE instrument to strengthen their shared security architecture.

Zelenskyy also met with European Bank for Reconstruction and Development President Odile Renaud to address Ukraine's battered energy sector and logistical infrastructure, thanking the EBRD for helping protect and increase electricity generation capacity. He told Renaud that specific infrastructure support remained essential to rebuild facilities damaged by Russian strikes and sustain Ukrainian exports, as constant bombardment continues to disrupt agricultural shipments relied upon by countries across virtually every continent. The discussions focused on financial mechanisms to restore data centers and attract investment to the war-torn economy.