Belgium to send Leopard tanks, M113 armored personnel carriers to Ukraine

Belgium will send M113 armored personnel carriers to Ukraine in its new security assistance package.

As Ukrinform reports with reference to DW and RTBF Belgian state media outlet, the transfer of such vehicles, as well as four Leopard 2 tanks, was announced by the Minister of Defense of Belgium Ludivine Dedonder.

It is noted that the Government of Belgium approved the 15th package of security assistance to Ukraine worth 11 million euros on Friday, June 16.

These funds will be used to send M113 tracked armored personnel carriers to Ukraine, which the Belgian army decommissioned more than ten years ago. Before sending them to Ukraine, they will be brought to working condition, however, Dedonder did not specify the number of units to be sent to Ukraine.

She also emphasized that Belgium’s security assistance is part of the coordination between NATO member states that are part of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group and meets specific requests from Ukraine.

"Support for Ukraine is not a competition between partner countries, but the result of a coordinated approach aimed at meeting needs on the ground as effectively as possible. This new aid package is fully in line with this logic," the minister said.

On June 9, Belgium announced the transfer of a batch of 105mm artillery rounds worth EUR 32.4 million to Ukraine. Taking into account this delivery, the total amount of Belgian security assistance to Ukraine will reach 306 million euros.