Ukrainian President Zelensky signs security pact with Belgium

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a bilateral long-term security pact with Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo on Tuesday in Brussels.

Zelensky announced the pact worth €977 million ($1.06 billion) on the social media platform X. The accord also contains "Belgium's commitment to providing [Ukraine] with support over the course of the agreement's 10-year term," he said.

The security pact "for the first time" details the number of F-16 fighter jets Ukraine is to receive at 30, Zelensky said, with the first arriving this year.

The security agreement goes back to a decision by NATO heads of state and government at a summit in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius in July.

It was agreed there that the individual member states would conclude bilateral agreements to ensure Ukraine's long-term security.

The agreements ensure that Ukraine will receive arms supplies and financial aid to help bridge the gap until the country's intended accession to NATO.