Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte told US President Joe Biden on Tuesday that the Netherlands would offer Patriot missiles to Ukraine, Reuters reports.
The Netherlands will join the United States and Germany in sending the Patriot missile defense system to Ukraine, Rutte told Biden at the White House.
“I think that it’s important we join that and I discussed it also this morning with Olaf Scholz of Germany,” Rutte said.
Biden told Rutte he looked forward to discussing ways to strengthen the supply chain as he welcomed the prime minister to the White House. Biden also thanked Rutte for being “very very stalwart” on its support for Ukraine.
Rutte said the Netherlands has decided to spend an additional 2.5 billion euros ($2.70 billion) supporting Ukraine, an announcement the government made previously.
Trade Minister Liesje Schreinemacher said on Sunday the Netherlands would not summarily accept demands by the United States on chip technology. Biden and Rutte are expected to discuss further support to Ukraine, “as well as further cooperation in the fields of defense and security and strengthening of the bilateral trade relationship,” a Dutch statement said.
