Brussels – A heated debate has emerged in the Belgian Parliament over the country’s military spending, particularly the purchase of F-35 fighter jets from the United States.
While the federal government has committed to strengthening national defence, some opposition parties argue that continued reliance on American arms undermines Belgium’s strategic autonomy and financial stability.
Nawal Farih, leader of the Christian Democratic and Flemish (CD&V) party in the Belgian Parliament, has called for an end to major military equipment purchases from the United States following the current order of F-35s.
“This should be the last purchase of this kind from the US for CD&V,” she stated. “We must invest in strategic autonomy and bolster our economy.”
Belgium is not alone in reassessing its F-35 procurement strategy. Portugal and Canada have also questioned their recent orders, citing concerns over blindly following US policies.
Criticism has been mounting from opposition parties, particularly the left-wing factions. “In Belgium, we haven’t even had a debate on this yet,” said Bogdan Vanden Berghe from Groen. “Blindly purchasing military equipment from the US brings no benefits and results in debt for generations.”
Jos D’Haese of the Workers’ Party of Belgium (PVDA) echoed these concerns, arguing that the purchase would primarily benefit the US defence industry rather than improve Belgium’s security. “The F-35s won’t protect us; they just funnel more money to the US,” he said.
N-VA Dismisses Calls to Halt Purchases
The nationalist New Flemish Alliance (N-VA) has firmly rejected the notion that this should be Belgium’s last major US defence acquisition.
“This is absolutely not the last time,” said N-VA faction leader Axel Ronse. He defended the purchase, emphasizing the F-35’s strategic value and global production footprint.
“Lockheed Martin, the producer, is American, but parts are made globally. The F-35 is what Putin fears most.” The federal majority remains committed to increasing Belgium’s defence investments.
The government aims to raise defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2029, a target supported by both CD&V and N-VA. However, Ronse insisted that the figure should be seen as a minimum rather than a ceiling.
Financing the Defence Budget
As the government prepares to outline the funding mechanisms for these investments, Farih assured the public that social security budgets would remain untouched. Instead, alternative sources of revenue are being considered.
“We are considering, among other things, frozen Russian assets at Euroclear and a defence bond, similar to a government bond,” she explained.
However, opposition members criticised the government’s financial priorities, particularly cuts in development cooperation included in the coalition agreement.
“Cutting development aid lays out the red carpet for Putin,” warned Vanden Berghe, suggesting that such reductions could destabilize vulnerable regions and increase Russian influence.
With Parliament divided over Belgium’s military strategy and spending priorities, the coming weeks will be crucial in determining how the country balances its defence commitments with broader economic and diplomatic concerns.
