News item | 24-02-2026 | 16:41
Today marks 4 years since the large-scale Russian attack on Ukraine began. That is why the Ukrainian flag flies at the Ministry of Defense in The Hague. The yellow-blue flag also hangs on other government buildings. In this way, the Netherlands shows that it supports Ukraine. Our country has already provided almost €12 billion in military support.
Minister Dilan Yeşilgöz-Zegerius: “Less than a 3-hour flight away, the biggest war on our continent since the Second World War has been going on for 4 years. For 1,461 days, the determined and courageous Ukrainians have been defending themselves against the ruthless Russian war machine. They are also doing this for our freedom and security. Despite diplomatic talks, Russia is only intensifying the attacks. We will not leave the Ukrainians out in the cold. They can continue to count on us.”
F-16
The Netherlands is one of the European leaders when it comes to providing military support to Ukraine. Aid will be further increased in 2025. For example, last year our country supplied €5.4 billion in military resources. This included ammunition, air defense equipment and hundreds of thousands of drones.
The support also included training to deploy and maintain F-16 fighter aircraft. The former Dutch aircraft play an important role in defending Ukrainian airspace.
In addition, Dutch soldiers, together with allies, trained many tens of thousands of Ukrainian troops. Think of crews, such as for tanks, but also for mine hunters.
Industry
The Netherlands and Ukraine are also working increasingly closely together on an industrial level. Both countries signed an agreement to this end at the end of last year. Defense systems developed by Ukrainian companies (with knowledge of the front) can be produced in the Netherlands. This increases the security of supply to Ukraine of, among other things, drones. It also gives a boost to the Dutch defense industry and possibly supplies to the armed forces.
