Ukraine Reaches Agreement with Belgium to Receive Three F-16 Fighter Jets by End of 2026 Under Accelerated Transfer Procedure

Ukraine reached an agreement with Belgium to receive three F-16 fighter jets by the end of 2026 under an accelerated transfer procedure, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on September 29, 2026, according to European Pravda, US News (Reuters), United24 Media, and Charter97. Zelenskyy said Ukraine had also received urgent deliveries of F-16 ammunition from Belgium and other partner countries, including Spain. Belgium had previously announced it would transfer seven F-16 aircraft to Ukraine during 2026, with three for operational use and four for spare parts, according to Voice of Emirates. The delivery is part of a Belgian support package that includes contributions to pilot and technician training, as well as ammunition and maintenance necessary for operating the aircraft.

The three Belgian F-16s add to deliveries from the US, Denmark, and the Netherlands that began in 2025, though the total number of aircraft remains below the fleet size Ukraine says it needs to defend against Russia's aerial campaign. Ukraine's ability to integrate additional F-16s into its air force depends on trained pilots, maintenance capacity, and secure basing, all of which remain constrained by the scale of Russia's attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure.

Sources

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