Ukraine reached an agreement with Belgium to receive three F-16 fighter jets by the end of the year, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Tuesday.
– In a post on US social media platform X, Zelenksyy said Belgium and other countries, including Spain, have already provided urgent deliveries of F-16s ammunition.
– “When Russia escalates daily, it is necessary to add capabilities for shooting down aerial targets and protecting people,” he said, thanking Belgium’s prime minister and government for their support.
– He added that he held separate meetings with Danish parliament speaker Soren Gade and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) President Odile Renaud in Ukraine to discuss defense and energy support.
– Zelenskyy thanked Gade for Denmark’s “strong and consistent support” for Ukraine, stressing the importance of maintaining that support.
– “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 said.
– Ukraine and Denmark, he added, could also pursue opportunities under the European SAFE instrument to strengthen their shared security.
– In his meeting with Renaud, Zelenskyy thanked the EBRD for its support in increasing and protecting Ukraine’s electricity generation, saying: “We count on this support continuing.”
– They discussed Ukraine’s energy sector, logistics and data centers, which Zelenskyy said have been targeted by Russian strikes, as well as efforts to attract investment and sustain Ukrainian exports.
– Zelenskyy said the EBRD could provide financial and infrastructure support to help rebuild facilities damaged by Russian attacks and strengthen Ukraine’s economy.
– “Because of constant Russian strikes, a significant share of the food supplies relied on by countries across virtually every continent remains in Ukraine,” he said. “There are specific things – financial and infrastructure-related – that the EBRD can help with. It is important to implement all of them.”