Belgium has agreed to send 30 US-made F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, provided they are not flown within Russian territory.
"F-16 jets will be provided to Ukraine as soon as possible. Our aim is to deliver the first aircraft before the end of this year, 2024," announced Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo on Tuesday while hosting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. "The terms of this agreement are very clear. The jets are for use by the Ukraine Defense Forces on Ukrainian territory."
Zelenskyy has been vocal about Ukraine's need for improved air defenses against Russia and the necessity to rebuild its air force, which has been severely impacted by two years of war. The 30 F-16s will be delivered over the next four years as part of a promised $1 billion aid package from Belgium, increasing the total number of pledged F-16s to Ukraine to approximately 85.
This total is significant because Ukraine is expected to lose many F-16s on what may become its most dangerous battlefield in five decades of flying.
In addition to defending Ukraine's airspace, F-16s equipped with long-range missiles can enhance Ukraine's strike capabilities—a critical factor as Kyiv seeks to halt Moscow's momentum on the battlefield.
"Our goal is to deploy the first F-16 on the battlefield this year and thereby strengthen our positions," Zelenskyy said.
The Netherlands, Denmark, and Norway have previously pledged dozens of F-16s to support Ukraine. The US Air Force is currently training Ukrainian pilots to operate them.
While Ukraine could still strike into Russia from its own airspace using the F-16s, the usage restriction prevents deeper attacks and avoids the spectacle of a US-made plane flying over Russian land; similar restrictions have been imposed by the US on other weapons.
As Ukraine awaits the gradual arrival of military aid from the US and other allies, Russia has initiated its summer offensive.
Ukraine's air-defense shortcomings have allowed Russia to launch continuous deep strikes beyond Ukraine's lines.
Experts from the Institute for the Study of War, a Washington, DC think tank, have suggested that Russia may have commenced its offensive prematurely and lacks the necessary personnel on its front lines to "conduct a successful operation to envelop, encircle, or seize Kharkiv City."
Despite Russia's shortage of soldiers, Ukraine continues to grapple with its own deficits in troops and resources.
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