Belgium will join German led air defense initiative for Ukraine.

Belgium has committed to contributing 200 million euros ($213 million) to Germany's air defense initiative and will provide additional rockets to Ukraine, according to Belgium's Defense Minister Ludivine Dedonder, as reported by the Belgian channel RTBF on April 26,2024, during a press conference.
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IRIS-T Air defense system in Ukraine, place and date unknown(Picture source OSINT )

Ukraine is currently facing a shortage of air defense systems amid an increase in Russian attacks on population centers and energy infrastructure.

The U.S.-made Patriot systems are highly effective at intercepting Russian ballistic and cruise missiles. Berlin is reportedly urging NATO and its European allies to send their systems to Kyiv rather than leave them unused.

Minister Dedonder noted that Belgium would provide Ukraine with additional rockets from its own military stocks for air defense systems. However, she did not specify the number or type of weapons to be sent to Kyiv.

"Our message remains the same: the day Russia stops its invasion and relinquishes the illegally occupied territories, the conflict will end. We will never stop reiterating our demand for an end to hostilities and a return to political and diplomatic dialogue," said Dedonder.

Brussels had previously announced that the first F-16 fighter jets would be delivered to Ukraine "later this year."

The German initiative for Ukraine's air defense, known as the European Sky Shield Initiative (ESSI), launched in 2022, aims to bolster defense against short, medium, and long-range aerial threats. This initiative is designed to allow efficient coordination and cost optimization compared to isolated national systems. Germany has already delivered IRIS-T air defense systems to Ukraine, designed to counter threats such as drones and cruise missiles. Some sources suggest that the results of this initiative could be installed on NATO territory and be capable of providing air defense over Ukrainian territory from their positions, thereby avoiding targeted destruction strikes that can be carried out on systems by Russians.

This news came after the meeting in the Ramstein format of the Ukrainian Defense Contact Group, which was held online on April 26, on the occasion of the group's second anniversary.

Canada also announced on April 26 a new batch of military aid, supporting domestic drone production in Ukraine and an ammunition initiative led by the Czech Republic, while the United States would allocate $6 billion in military assistance to Kyiv under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI).

Defense News April 2024