Minister: Belgium to allocate $213 million for German-led air defense initiative
Belgium will pledge 200 million euros ($213 million) for the German-led air defense initiative and supply Ukraine with rockets, Belgian Defense Minister Ludivine Dedonder announced on April 26 during the press conference, according to the Belgian channel RTBF.
Ukraine is facing a shortage of air defense systems amid an uptick in Russian attacks on population centers and energy infrastructure.
U.S.-made Patriots are highly effective at intercepting Russia's ballistic and cruise missiles. Berlin is reportedly pressuring NATO and European allies to send their systems to Kyiv rather than keeping them unused.
Dedonder noted that Belgium would provide Ukraine with additional rockets from its own military stocks for the air defense systems. The Belgian Defense Minister did not specify the number or the type of weaponry to be sent to Kyiv.
"Our message is always the same: the day Russia stops its invasion and cedes the illegally occupied territories, the conflict will end. We will never stop to reiterate our demand for an end to hostilities and a return to political and diplomatic dialogue," Dedonder said.
Brussels previously announced the first F-16 fighter jets to be delivered to Ukraine "later this year."
This news came after the Ramstein-format meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, which was held online on April 26, the two-year anniversary of the group.
Canada also announced on April 26 a new batch of military aid, donating to Ukraine's domestic drone production and a Czech-led ammunition initiative, while the U.S. would allocate $6 billion for military assistance for Kyiv under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI).
Read also: 5 things to know about the latest weapons being sent to Ukraine
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