The Netherlands has officially delivered the first F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans has announced.
“For the first time I can officially announce that the first Dutch F-16s have been delivered to Ukraine. This is extremely necessary. In Kharkiv, I saw the destruction caused by Russian air strikes and heard frequent air raids. The rest of the 24 planes will be delivered in the coming months,” Minister wrote on the social network X.
The Netherlands has announced a new support package for Ukraine in the amount of EUR209.5 million aimed at restoring critical infrastructure, Dutch Foreign Minister Kaspar Veldkamp said.
“The Netherlands has announced a new support package of EUR209.5 million aimed at restoring critical infrastructure, including through the EBRD, and providing humanitarian assistance. We are contributing EUR45 million to the Energy Support Fund for Ukraine and financing the supply of necessary equipment,” the minister wrote on social network X following the G7+ ministerial meeting in New York.
Veldkamp also said that Ukrainians are preparing for one of the harshest winters, and “Ukraine needs energy to survive.”
“At today’s meeting with G7 foreign ministers and partners, including (Ukrainian Foreign Minister) Andriy Sybiga, I emphasized that we must join forces to ensure this,” the minister said.
The Netherlands is handing over 28 Bandvagn BvS 10 (Viking) two-link tracked all-terrain vehicles to Ukraine, Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans said on Saturday.
“Ukraine desperately needs our help in the fight against the Russian aggressor. The Netherlands is donating 28 Viking tracked vehicles. The Marine Corps has trained Ukrainian soldiers to work with them,” the minister wrote in a post on the social network X.
“Our support for Ukraine continues to deter Russia,” Brekelmans emphasized.
The Bandvagn BvS 10 (Viking) is an articulated armored tracked Swedish-British amphibious armored personnel carrier manufactured by BAE Systems Hägglunds and in service with the marines of the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Austria, and France. Earlier, in 2023, Ukraine received 36 Dutch BvS 10s and 20 British Vikings as part of logistical assistance to repel Russian aggression.
The Netherlands is allocating 20 million euros to a joint drone coalition fund aimed at supplying 1 million FPV drones to Ukraine, the Dutch Ministry of Defense reports.
“There is a shortage of drones in Ukraine, but not in Russia. To reduce the deficit, Latvia and Ukraine created a drone coalition earlier this year, which was joined by the Netherlands. An agreement of intent was signed in February. The goal of the coalition is to give Ukraine 1 million drones this year and then expand the offer to other types, such as reconnaissance,” the statement said.
Currently, more than 265 companies, including 9 Dutch companies, have registered to supply FPV drones to Ukraine.
“Ukraine urgently needs a lot of attack drones. They have proven their effectiveness on the battlefield. We will provide this together with 11 other countries, which we confirmed today during the NATO summit,” said Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans.
The Netherlands will allocate EUR 2 million through the International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP) to expand Ukraine’s capacity in the field of forensic research and will also provide a mobile laboratory for forensic medical examination, said the newly appointed Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp.
At a joint press conference with his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba in Kyiv, the Dutch Foreign Minister emphasized the importance of justice and the responsibility of the Russian Federation for serious crimes against the Ukrainian people.
“Crimes against Ukraine must be brought to justice, and deported children must be returned to their families. That is why I am pleased to announce that the Netherlands will provide 2 million euros to enhance Ukraine’s capacity in forensic research, data collection and analysis through the International Commission on Missing Persons,” Veldkamp said.
In addition, the Netherlands will provide Ukraine with a mobile forensic laboratory to help with activities near the front line. “This will help to restore justice for the many dead Ukrainians whose bodies are being returned from the front. It will also facilitate the investigation of cases of missing persons and help collective efforts to return deported children from Russia and reunite them with their families,” the head of diplomacy noted.
He also announced the decision to support the activities of the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine for fact-finding over the next two years for a total of EUR 8 million. “The mission’s mandate is to report objectively on the situation throughout Ukraine, to provide indisputable facts that serve as a basis for international discussions on Ukraine, as well as for alternative legal analysis of many crimes, which can then be used by justice mechanisms,” the minister explained.
Veldkamp emphasized that justice is needed “for the sake of thousands of killed and wounded, for millions of displaced persons, for innocent children who were deported to Russia and whose fate is unknown.”
The Minister assured that the Netherlands will continue to support the work of the Ukrainian Prosecutor General’s Office, the International Criminal Court, the International Center for the Prosecution of Crimes of Aggression and the Register of Damages for Ukraine.
Separately, the Foreign Minister emphasized the Netherlands’ support for Ukraine’s accession to the EU, stressing the importance of reforms and readiness to share the necessary experience.
“Of course, the path to EU membership is a marathon in itself. Reforms are needed. Good governance, transparency, and the rule of law are of paramount importance. And yes, the Copenhagen criteria must be fulfilled. The rules are strict. But there is no rule that says you have to go it alone. We will share our experience as an EU member state,” Veldkamp said.
The Netherlands, together with Denmark, will produce CV90 infantry fighting vehicles for Ukraine, and together with Germany – Patriot.
This was announced on Friday by the Dutch government.
“The Netherlands, together with Denmark, is participating in a €400 million Swedish fund to create CV90 infantry fighting vehicles for Ukraine. Most of them will be produced in the Netherlands. In addition, Germany is launching a European assembly line for Patriot missiles, partly due to demand from the Netherlands,” the press release said.
In addition, the Dutch Ministry of Defense is also investing 54 million euros in the Dutch industry to develop drones for its own armed forces. This is included in the action plan to increase the production and supply of military equipment, the Dutch government said.
