Belgian delegation arrived in Kyiv on April 8: Details
Photo: The Prime Minister, Foreign Minister and Defense Minister of Belgium arrived in Kyiv (GettyImages)
Today, Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever, Head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Maxime Prévot, and the country’s Minister of Defense Theo Francken arrived in Kyiv, according to VRT.
According to preliminary information, the Belgian delegation will meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. They have also scheduled bilateral meetings at the ministerial level.
“This visit is not only about political and military solidarity, but also about international cooperation, hope, and the future,” stated Belgium’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that he honored the memory of Ukrainian defenders with Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever. “We remember the valor of every man and woman who defended Ukraine at the cost of their own life. Eternal honor and gratitude to the heroes,” Zelenskyy captioned the video.
Support from Belgium
It is worth noting that Belgium has been assisting Ukraine since the very beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion. Previously, Ukraine and Belgium signed a security guarantee agreement. According to the document, Ukraine was to receive at least €977 million in military aid from Belgium in 2024. The agreement also specified the number of F-16 fighter jets Ukraine would receive from the ally by 2028.
However, it was recently revealed that Belgium has postponed the delivery of F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine until 2026, although spare parts might be provided as early as this year.
Additionally, the Belgian government received €1.7 billion in taxes generated from Russian assets frozen within its territory last year. These funds will be allocated to programs to help Ukraine.
