Netherlands boosts military aid to Ukraine by €122 million

The Netherlands will allocate €122 million in military aid to Ukraine, the Defense Ministry of the Netherlands announced on 29 January, the European Pravda reported. According to the European Pravda, most of the funds (€87 million) will be used to purchase 155-mm artillery ammunition for Ukraine. This military aid package will complement the €130 million allocated by the Dutch government to the German-led fund that purchases ammunition for Ukraine's Armed Forces. Another €25 million will be transferred to the International Fund for Ukraine, led by the United Kingdom, which finances the joint purchase of military equipment, including air defense systems, ammunition, and spare parts, directly from manufacturers.

Russia understands only language of strength, chief of Dutch Army warns

The Netherlands allocated the remaining €10 million to strengthen cyber defense in Ukraine as part of the IT coalition, which it joined after the last meeting of the Ramstein Contact Group on Ukraine's Defense. In addition to the Netherlands, 11 other countries are members of the IT coalition: Ukraine, Belgium, Great Britain, Denmark, Estonia, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, and Japan. The Dutch Defense Minister, Kajsa Ollongren, said it is vital to support Ukraine not only in the short term but also in the long run. The Dutch government has earmarked €2 billion in military support for Ukraine for 2024, €295 million as a contribution to the European Peace Fund, €89 million for justice, and €3 million for non-military cyber support. On 22 December 2023, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that the Netherlands would deliver 18 F-16 jets to Ukraine in 2024. Related:

• Defense Ministry: Netherlands joins IT coalition to support Ukraine, contributes over $ 10 mn
• Zelenskyy: Netherlands prepares to send the first of eighteen F-16s to Ukraine
• Dutch aid for Ukraine reaches €2.6 billion