Belgium has promised to send 30 F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine by 2028 in the latest defence pledge by a Nato member to Kyiv, demonstrating allies’ resolve in the face of Russia’s intensifying assault on the country.
But Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy repeated his demand for western allies to lift restrictions on the use of supplied weaponry to hit targets in Russia, saying it was “unfair” that Ukraine could not strike back against long-range missile strikes on its cities.
Zelenskyy has pleaded for US-made Patriot systems capable of shooting down Russian missiles and planes that launch powerful glide bombs on Ukrainian military positions and cities. Ukraine’s air force has said the only way to halt their use is to be able to shoot down the aircraft carrying the bombs while they are in Russia with long-range air defence systems and F-16s.