Netherlands to Provide €4.4 Billion to Support Ukraine Militarily and Humanitarianly
The Dutch government has announced its commitment to provide additional funding of €4.4 billion for military and humanitarian support to Ukraine from 2024 to 2026. This assistance will be allocated as per the official government portal of the Netherlands.
The government specified that this funding became available due to better financial performance in the country's financial sector than anticipated in the previous year.
"State finances in 2024 are in a better condition than expected on Budget Day last year. This is partly due to the economy improving somewhat, which is good news. On the other hand, because there is more underfunding, we are unable to spend all the money allocated for 2024," said Dutch Finance Minister Steven van Weyenberg.
In addition to supporting Ukraine, the Dutch government will also strengthen its own defence capabilities. Specifically, it is reported that from 2028, the government plans to allocate €500 million to enhance its anti-aircraft defence and procure new military equipment. These funds will be provided from unforeseen revenues across various budgets to balance the country's overall financial position.
It is worth noting that on April 12, the Dutch government allocated an additional €1 billion for military assistance to Ukraine. Prior to this, in March, the Netherlands provided Ukraine with a military aid package worth €350 million, including artillery, naval assets, missiles for fighters, and modern drones.
The publication The Gaze previously reported that this summer, the Netherlands will deploy Patriot air defence systems in Lithuania for two weeks. The purpose of this move is to conduct exercises aimed at strengthening joint air defence on NATO's eastern flank.
"The deployment of Dutch Patriot systems in our country is excellent news. We thank the Netherlands for their ongoing contribution to the security of the Baltic region, particularly Lithuania," emphasized Lithuanian Defence Minister Laurynas Kasciunas.
It should be noted that the rotational model of NATO air defence was approved at last year's Vilnius Summit, and according to Laurynas Kasciunas, this decision is an important step towards implementing this model.