Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken has confirmed that all the F-16 fighter jets pledged by Belgium to Ukraine will indeed be delivered, reiterating his government’s commitment during a press conference at NATO headquarters in Brussels.
Francken emphasized that the aircraft transfer would take place once Ukrainian pilots have completed their training and all necessary technical procedures are finalized.
“The F-16s will indeed arrive in your country, but their operational availability has not yet been confirmed,” Francken said. “Training is necessary, and that takes about a month. The aircraft will arrive, but that does not mean they will be sent immediately to Ukraine. All the F-16s we have promised will be in your country — there is no doubt about that.”
In 2023, Belgium firmly refused to supply fighter jets to Ukraine, citing concerns over the age of its airframes. However, following diplomatic pressure from allies, Brussels committed to donating up to 30 F-16s to Ukraine by 2028.
According to the current plan, two aircraft intended for spare parts will be transferred by the end of 2025, followed by two operational jets in 2026.
Ukraine F-16 delivery linked to Belgium F-35 transition
The F-16 donation is tied to Belgium’s own transition to the F-35A Lightning II, with 34 aircraft ordered in 2018 to replace the aging F-16 MLU fleet. On October 13, 2025, the Belgian Air Force formally received its first F-35 fighters at Florennes Air Base.
Four F-35As had departed from Fort Worth, Texas, for the transatlantic ferry flight, but only three reached Belgium after an eight-hour leg via the Azores. The fourth aircraft was grounded after the pilot identified a technical fault.
“We decided not to fly with this aircraft because certain systems were not working,” Lieutenant Colonel Tanguy “Cortex” Fivé, commander of the 1st Squadron and head of the ferry mission, explained to local media.
Drones and Russian provocations on NATO agenda
Francken’s comments came as NATO defense ministers convened in Brussels on October 15 to discuss regional security priorities amid continued Russian provocations, including airspace incursions and drone activity near allied borders.
“Yes, one of the topics of discussion is how we can respond more effectively to drones and be more flexible when it comes to Russian aggression in our airspace,” Francken said. “That’s true. And that also applies to the rules.”
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, responding to a question from RBK-Ukraine, addressed the same issue with a direct warning to Moscow.
“Let me address the Russians,” Rutte said. “If they deliberately try anything against NATO, we have all the means and the authority to defend every inch of NATO airspace and territory.”
Rutte added that NATO continues to learn from Ukraine’s experience in countering aerial threats, pointing to recent incidents.
“If a drone posed a threat, it was shot down. If a MiG-31 entered Estonian airspace, we assessed the situation and Italian F-35s escorted it out. This is how we train and prepare, and we’ve done it for 60 or 70 years, with Soviet and Russian aircraft alike. NATO has the authority to act, and we constantly adapt to new technologies,” the secretary general said.
“If they [Russians] intentionally try anything against NATO, we have everything in place and all the all the authority to make sure we can defend every inch of NATO airspace and territory,” NATO Secretary General Rutte said in Brussels. pic.twitter.com/LmKIplNMtv
— KyivPost (@KyivPost) October 15, 2025
The issue has become increasingly pressing for frontline NATO members, particularly in Central and Northern Europe, where airspace violations by Russian aircraft and drones have multiplied over the past year. Recent incidents over Poland, Lithuania, and Denmark have prompted calls for stronger coordination and quicker rules of engagement.