The US will buy military equipment for Ukraine for six billion dollars, Belgium will supply fighter jets

The United States will buy missiles for anti-aircraft batteries and other military equipment worth six billion dollars (over CZK 140 billion) for Ukraine, US Defense Minister Lloyd Austin announced today. According to ČTK, some American media are talking about the largest package of military aid for Ukraine to date. But according to the Politico website, the delivery of the material is likely to take longer.

The announced investment concerns missiles for the Patriot and NASAMS air defense systems, other types of munitions, drones and systems for their disposal. Austin confirmed the plan after a virtual meeting of the contact group for Ukraine, which brings together countries that provide military support to Kyiv.

The US government will use the money allocated by Congress this week, when it approved the release of $61 billion in military and economic aid to Ukraine and other partners in the region, as part of a broader package of measures. According to American media, most of the package is money for military purposes.

Washington has prepared for Kiev dozens of packages of weapons and other material assembled from existing American stockpiles. However, the aid announced today is based on a different mechanism, namely on contracts for American arms factories, which then supply material intended directly for Ukraine. “The equipment likely won’t arrive in Ukraine for several years,” reports Politico.

Belgium, on the other hand, has announced that it will try to deliver F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine this year, Belgian Defense Minister Ludivine Dedonderová told VRT. Brussels originally planned to deliver the fighter jets only in 2025, but has now decided not to wait for the formation of a new government.

“We will do everything in our power to deliver the aircraft by the end of the year. I want to underline that our own security will not be threatened,” said the minister.

The acceleration of the delivery was announced at a press conference together with Dedonderová by Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, who called the government’s decision a big step for Ukrainian defense.