President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with Prime Minister of Belgium Bart de Wever, who made his first visit to Ukraine after taking office. The parties discussed further support for Ukraine in the war against Russia, the development of defence cooperation and security issues on the European continent.
The Head of State thanked Belgium for its comprehensive assistance since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, stressing the importance of defence, political and humanitarian support, as well as solidarity with Ukrainian citizens temporarily residing in Belgium.
Zelenskyy expressed special gratitude for the new €1 billion defence package from Belgium. According to Prime Minister Bartom de Wever, his country plans to provide such support annually. The Belgian prime minister was accompanied by representatives of ten defence companies. The key topic of the meeting was joint arms production and investment in Ukraine’s military-industrial complex.
‘We have to help Ukraine develop its own defence capabilities and strengthen European resilience in the face of threats from Russia,’ de Wever said, adding that it is important to create favourable conditions for private sector investment.
President Zelenskyy noted Belgium’s participation in the programme to strengthen Ukraine’s military aviation and confirmed that work was underway to deliver F-16 fighter jets. He also thanked the Belgian government for supporting Ukraine’s accession to the European Union and NATO.
The parties also discussed the maintenance of sanctions against Russia, in particular against its ‘shadow fleet’, energy resources and frozen assets.
‘We have a common understanding: nothing should be forgiven to the aggressor, and frozen Russian assets cannot be returned,’ the President of Ukraine stressed.