According to Militarnyi, Ukrainian and Belgian defense companies have inked six agreements marking the commencement of their collaboration within the defense industry, the Ministry of Strategic Industries of Ukraine (Minstrategprom) confirmed.
The interaction unfolded during a seminar focused on the defense-industrial complex (OPK), spanning from January 23 to 24. Notably, this gathering was attended by delegates from 33 Ukrainian firms, as well as 8 Belgian companies, alongside representatives from the Association of the Belgian Security and Defense Industry (BSDI), and governmental officials responsible for defense and security from both nations.
The purpose behind organizing this seminar was to facilitate connections between Ukrainian and Belgian defense entrepreneurs, fostering agreements for cooperation, and further strengthening the strategic alliance between the defense industries of Belgium and Ukraine. As a tangible outcome of this endeavor, six cooperative agreements were signed between Belgian and Ukrainian enterprises.
Looking ahead, Belgium has planned to allocate 611 million euros in military assistance to Ukraine in 2024, coupled with support for the modernization of Ukraine’s Defense Forces. This announcement was made by Ukraine’s Minister of Defense, Rustem Umyerov, following a telephone conversation with the head of the Belgian Ministry of Defense, Lyudivin Dedonder.
Additionally, Belgium intends to dispatch two of its two-seater F-16BM jet fighters to Denmark in March. These aircraft will be employed for training Ukrainian pilots, reflecting another dimension of their collaborative efforts.