Netherlands to provide €150 million to strengthen Ukraine’s air defense
Photo: Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans (Getty Images)
Ukraine will receive €150 million from the Netherlands to strengthen its air defense, said Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans ahead of the Ramstein meeting at NATO headquarters, according to Ukrinform.
Brekelmans said that one of the Netherlands' main priorities was air defense, noting that this was also what President Zelenskyy had requested that week, as air attacks had intensified. He added that the Netherlands continued to supply F-16s and had already announced €500 million for a drone initiative. He also stated that an additional €150 million was being allocated for an air defense system to help Ukraine protect its skies.
Brekelmans added that the drone initiative is being carried out jointly with the United Kingdom. The minister also recalled that a few weeks ago, the Netherlands pledged an additional €3.5 billion in support for Ukraine, of which €2 billion will be spent this year.
Brekelmans stressed that it is critical to strengthen Ukraine’s position on the battlefield to secure a stronger position at the negotiating table.
Dutch Defense Minister noted that for Ukraine to have a stronger position at the negotiating table, it was important to support the country on the battlefield so that it could hold the front line, and be in a better position for negotiations.
Ramstein and air defense for Ukraine
Today, April 11, a new Ramstein meeting is taking place in Brussels. During the session, Germany announced a new aid package for Ukraine, including a pledge to provide four IRIS-T air defense systems with missiles and an additional 30 missiles for the Patriot systems.
Ahead of the meeting, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that agreements had already been reached with partners on additional air defense systems.
In addition, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius stated today that allies are searching worldwide for more air defense systems for Ukraine.
