Sweden, Belgium boost military aid to Ukraine

Sweden announces its largest aid package yet for Ukraine, worth $1.25 billion, including surveillance aircraft and missiles

Sweden Wednesday pledged military aid of 13.3 billion kronor ($1.25 billion) to Ukraine, as Kyiv struggles with multiple delays of vital Western military support in the third year of war with Russia.

The Scandinavian country, which formally joined NATO in March, will donate a range of materials, including ASC 890 surveillance aircraft, Rb 99 medium-range air-to-air missiles and artillery ammunition, and all of its model 302 armored infantry fighting vehicles.

“Sweden is supporting Ukraine with its 16th aid package, its largest to date worth 13.3 billion kronor,” Deputy Prime Minister Ebba Busch told reporters.

Defense Minister Pal Jonson, who also participated in the press conference via video link, added that the ASC 890 surveillance aircraft would be particularly useful for Ukraine’s air defense, enabling it “to identify incoming cruise missiles and drones and identify targets both on the ground and at sea.”

Stockholm has not excluded sending its Gripen fighter jets to Ukraine, but on Tuesday, it said the air force coalition had asked Ukraine to hold off as they prioritize the introduction of U.S.-made F-16s into the Ukrainian air force.

Sweden has recently announced a 650-million-kronor aid package to secure Ukraine’s energy supply, a sector targeted by Russian strikes, and a framework civilian and military aid package of 75 billion kronor over three years, from 2024 to 2026, to support Kyiv “as long as necessary.”

The pledges bring Sweden’s overall aid to Ukraine since Russia’s invasion in 2022 to over 100 billion kronor, making Kyiv the biggest recipient of Swedish aid.

Belgium commits to deliver 30 F-16 jets to Kyiv by 2028

Belgium committed to delivering 30 F-16 fighter jets by 2028 to help Kyiv battle Russia’s invasion, at the start of a visit by Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

The pledge was made as part of a bilateral security and long-term support accord signed by Zelensky and Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, the latest in a string of similar Ukrainian accords with Western allies.

“For the first time, such an agreement specifies the exact number of F-16 fighter jets that will be delivered to Ukraine until 2028,” Zelenskyy wrote on X.

Zelenskyy said the first aircraft would be “arriving already this year” – though Belgium’s Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib was more cautious, saying earlier that “we hope deliveries will start at the end of this year.”

Zelenskyy said the bilateral security agreement “includes at least 977 million euros in Belgian military aid to Ukraine this year,” in addition to a commitment of support over the next 10 years.

The Ukrainian leader jetted into Brussels from Spain late on Monday as part of a whistlestop tour to several European countries in a bid to rally support for Kyiv.

He was to hold a press conference with De Croo and visit a military airbase in the Belgian capital, where he would meet instructors helping to train Ukrainian pilots to fly F-16s.

Belgium had previously pledged to supply F-16 aircraft to Kyiv as part of a broader initiative by European allies.

Overall, Brussels says it has committed 1.2 billion euros ($1.3 billion) to provide military support for Ukraine since Russia’s 2022 invasion.

Spain pledged one billion euros in military aid a day earlier than Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Zelenskyy signed their own security deal in Madrid.

Zelenskyy’s latest tour comes as Ukraine is struggling to hold back a Russian ground offensive in the Kharkiv region, where Moscow recently has made its most significant territorial gains in 18 months.

Following his trip to Belgium, Zelenskyy is set to head to Portugal later on Tuesday.

With the Russian assault now in its third year, Ukraine has been pleading for more weapons for its outgunned and outnumbered troops, notably seeking help to address its lack of air defense systems.

The Ukrainian leader is also trying to whip up support for a peace conference due to be held in Switzerland next month, as Kyiv has rejected any push to invite Russia.

Source: AFP