(28 May 2024)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
AGENCY POOL
Brussels, Belgium – 28 May 2024
1. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo arriving at press conference++MUTE AT SOURCE++
2. Close of backs of audience members
3. SOUNDBITE (English): Alexander De Croo, Belgian Prime Minister
"The Agreement on Security Cooperation, and the long term support that we just signed will provide and expand the assistance that we provide to Ukraine against this brutal aggression of Russia. And we will continue doing that for as long as it is necessary. As you know, Belgium has provided military support from the very start of this conflict. With this agreement we make clear that we will continue doing that. For this year alone, for 2024, our military support amounts already to more than 1 billion euros that we provided."
4. Close of camera with microphone
5. SOUNDBITE (English): Alexander De Croo, Belgian Prime Minister
"In this agreement we focus on what your military needs to defend its population. That means air defence. That means artillery. That means armoured vehicles. And also the F-16s that we have talked about in the past. These F-16 jets will be provided to Ukraine as soon as possible. Our aim is to be able to provide first aircraft before the end of this year, 2024. That is because one thing is for us absolutely clear – you and your Ukrainian population, you deserve the right tools in order to protect your population against a completely illegitimate aggression."
6. Close of backs of audience members
7. SOUNDBITE (English): Alexander De Croo, Belgian Prime Minister
"So we will do everything in our capacity to deliver, to deliver some planes already this year. And this could be significant, a significant addition to the other countries, other two countries who are delivering F-16s this year. And we will continue afterwards, of course, as fast as possible, of course, taking into account our own needs and the change of our planes with the new F-35. Of course, one should not only focus on the delivery of the planes. Today we are part of the F-16 effort. Our planes are being used today to train the new Ukrainian pilots. Our technical teams are being used to provide technical assistance to keep the planes in the air. Our teams are training Ukrainian technicians to do that."
8. Close of camera and backs of audience
9. SOUNDBITE (English): Alexander De Croo, Belgian Prime Minister
"We do that in consultation with Denmark, the Netherlands and Norway. The fact that we can add our planes ourselves already this year and in the years to come, I think is a very important signal to make absolutely clear that Ukraine will have a full-blown air defence capacity based on fighter jets in the months to come and in the years to come. Our goal is to provide that capacity. Providing that capacity with the planes themselves, but also with training and the capabilities for that. As I said, everything which is covered by this agreement, is military material, military equipment that is to be used by the Ukraine defence forces and it is to be used on the Ukrainian territory. This is the agreement that we made."
8. De Croo and Zelenskyy standing up and shaking hands++PARTIAL MUTE AT SOURCE++
STORYLINE:
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday picked up a second $1 billion promise of military aid in as many days for his war with Russia during a whirlwind tour through the European Union.
The pledge came from Belgium, which topped up the money with a commitment to give 30 F-16 fighter jets over the next four years.
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