BRUSSELS — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday received 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 for 2024 came from Belgium, which topped up the money with a commitment to give 30 F-16 fighter jets over the next four years.
“Our task is to use the first F-16 on the battlefield this year and in such way fortify our positions,” Zelenskyy said.
The Netherlands added to the goodwill by promising to quickly assemble with key EU partners a Patriot air defense system, which Zelenskyy sees as key in stopping Russia from hitting his country’s power grid and civilian areas, as well as military targets, with devastating glide bombs that cause wide destruction.
NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg welcomed the move but insisted much more work was needed. “We have seen some progress, but more progress and more air defense systems are urgently needed in Ukraine,” Stoltenberg said as he headed into a meeting with EU defense ministers.
A day earlier, Zelenskyy signed a security agreement with Spain that allocates 1 billion euros ($1.1 billion) of military aid to Ukraine in 2024, and 5 billion euros ($5.4 billion) by 2027.
The bilateral aid is essential since the 27-nation bloc is again struggling to overcome Hungary’s objections to the EU itself providing billions of euros in military aid to Kyiv, which is in its third year of
