BRUSSELS, October 16. /TASS/. Belgium intends to transfer ten F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine by the end of this year, Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever said following a meeting with Vladimir Zelensky on the sidelines of the EU summit in Brussels.

"Ukraine urgently needs operational jets (…), and we can help with that. <...> We will supply ten [aircraft] this year," the Belga news agency quoted De Wever as saying.

The Belgian prime minister noted that the schedule for the transfer of military equipment had been pushed back due to delays in the delivery of American F-35 fighters to Belgium, which are intended to replace the F-16s currently in service with the country’s air force.

Belgium has promised to deliver its first two F-16s to Ukraine in 2024, and then to transfer all remaining operational aircraft in phases. In June 2026, Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken announced plans to transfer seven F-16 fighter jets by the end of this year. To date, deliveries have not begun due to delays in receiving the F-35s.

The Belgian F-16s are, on average, about 40 years old. The Belgian Air Force has about 200 aircraft on its roster, however, according to local media estimates, no more than 40 remain operational.