AMSTERDAM – The Netherlands will provide Ukraine with an additional €1 billion ($1.4 billion) in military support in 2024 and has earmarked €3 billion for 2025, caretaker Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said on April 12.
The extra support in 2024 takes the total sum for 2024 to €3 billion and will be complemented by €400 million in aid to support Ukraine’s economy, Mr Rutte said in a post on social media platform X. The total amount pledged through 2025 stands at €4 billion (S$6 billion).
The Netherlands has been one of the leading donors of military support to Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Mr Rutte said he discussed the new aid in a phone call with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky and promised to work on accelerating the supply of weapons and ammunition to Ukraine.
“Thank you, Mark, thank you, Dutch people! This is an exemplary case of support for Ukraine,” Mr Zelensky said in a post on Telegram following the phone call with Mr Rutte, who is seen as the leading candidate to become the next secretary-general of Nato later in 2024.
Mr Rutte’s government is working in caretaker mode until a new Cabinet is formed, following the November 2023 election won by far right-leader Geert Wilders’ nationalist PVV party.
His election victory had cast doubt on the future of Dutch military support to Ukraine.
Despite criticism from Mr Wilders, Mr Rutte in March signed a long-term security deal with Ukraine that should secure assistance through the coming 10 years. REUTERS
