The Netherlands has announced that it is donating over £3bn of military aid to Ukraine as it tries to fend off Russian forces over two years after the war began.
In its Spring Budget update earlier this week, the Dutch government announced it would be donating a huge sum of money to try and bolster Ukraine’s forces and help it push back against Russia’s tanks and infantry.
The Netherlands has also announced that it would increase defence spending by around £426m every single year from 2028 onwards, investing in ammunition and air defence systems.
In a statement, the country’s defence minister Kajsa Ollongren said: “Air defence and munitions are vital, as we are now seeing in Ukraine and the Middle East. That is why the Cabinet has made extra money available for these NATO top priorities. This also sends a clear signal to the industry.”
As well as investing in new technology, the Netherlands will also spend money on bolstering its own forces to better secure its own territory as fears about the outbreak of World War 3 rise.
DefenseNews reported that Secretary of State for Defence Christophe van der Maat said: “Given the current situation, the urgency is great to further replenish our ammunition stocks on an accelerated basis.”
The Dutch Defence Ministry added that other areas where the country needed to invest included drones, counter-drone defence, tanks, intelligence, and logical support. Ms Ollongren added that when it came to the Netherlands’ own protection the “strengthening of air defence and additional munitions are a crucial step that cannot wait”.
The Netherlands’ internal investment in the military and its donation of billions of pounds worth of aid to Ukraine come at a time when more countries are considering both what and how much to donate to Ukraine.
The UK has taken the lead in Europe when it comes to helping the Ukrainian military, helping to train troops, and pilots, as well as donating tanks to the frontline. Earlier this week, Defence Minister, the Earl of Minto, revealed that the UK has sent around £7bn worth of funding to Ukraine since the start of the conflict in February 2022.
