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The Netherlands announced a €250 million military support package for Ukraine on Monday, routing the contribution through a NATO-led procurement system designed to fast-track critical weapons deliveries from American stockpiles.
Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans disclosed the commitment during meetings in Brussels, marking one of the largest single contributions The Hague has made through the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List, a coordination mechanism that allows NATO allies to collectively purchase defense equipment from the United States for Ukrainian forces.
The funding will enable Ukraine to receive air defense systems, missiles, F-16 ammunition and other military hardware that officials described as urgently needed and unavailable through alternative channels.
Brekelmans directly tied the announcement to Moscow's continued bombardment of Ukrainian territory, citing weekend strikes as evidence of Kyiv's pressing defensive needs.
"This weekend was yet another sad low point in the Russian terrorist campaign by air," the minister said. "Ukraine acutely needs more military support to defend itself against these airstrikes and get through the harsh winter."
The minister emphasized that the package represents a substantial Dutch contribution to addressing Ukraine's immediate battlefield requirements as winter approaches, a period that has historically seen intensified fighting and humanitarian challenges.
Brekelmans cautioned that ongoing diplomatic initiatives aimed at ending the conflict should not undermine military assistance to Ukraine, referencing American-led negotiation efforts without specifying their status or scope.
"The peace negotiations should not distract from fully and massively supporting Ukraine," he stated. "It is very important to keep up the pressure on Russia."
The defense minister argued that maintaining robust military aid strengthens Ukraine's leverage in any potential negotiations, advocating for simultaneous diplomatic, economic and military pressure on Moscow.
The Dutch official framed the contribution as part of a broader European security imperative, calling on other NATO members to sustain their support levels regardless of diplomatic developments.
"It's about the safety of all of us," Brekelmans said, positioning the aid as serving collective European security interests rather than solely Ukrainian defense needs.
The PURL mechanism comes as NATO's latest effort to streamline weapons procurement for Ukraine by coordinating purchases from US defense stockpiles, allowing allies to contribute financially while the United States handles logistics and delivery.
The system aims to reduce bureaucratic delays and ensure that equipment reaches Ukrainian forces more rapidly than traditional bilateral arrangements.
The Netherlands has been among the more active European supporters of Ukraine since Russia's invasion, previously committing to supply F-16 fighter jets and various other military systems.
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