The Netherlands pledged to allocate 90 million euros for drones to Ukraine

Dutch Defense Minister <b>Ruben Brekelmans</b> has announced a new military support package for Ukraine. His country will allocate 90 million euros for the production of drones directly in Ukraine.

Brekelmans made the announcement on October 15 in Brussels at a meeting of NATO defense ministers.

The money will be spent on both reconnaissance and attack drones. The minister explained the need for this step by citing Russia's attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure and preparations for the upcoming winter.

''Ukrainians told me last weekend that the coming winter will be the hardest winter ever, and I think we need to ensure a continuous flow of support to Ukraine. And the Netherlands is doing more than ever," the minister said.

He also added that the Netherlands is ready to support the provision of Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine if the United States makes such a decision. The new funding package is in addition to the assistance already announced. Last week, the Netherlands allocated 200 million euros for the purchase of anti-drone systems for Ukraine.

In addition, during his working visit to Ukraine, Minister Brekelmans visited Odesa region. There, he discussed the security situation, the consequences of constant shelling of civilian and critical infrastructure, and the region's preparation for winter. In particular, the Minister discussed the implementation of a €400 million support package to strengthen Ukraine's maritime security.

Ruben Brekelmans has been Minister of Defense of the Netherlands since July 2, 2024. From 2021 to July 2, 2024, he was a member of the House of Representatives of the General States of the Netherlands. Since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion, the Netherlands has provided our country with $9 billion in assistance.

In April, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte visited Odesa and met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, which led to street closures in the city. The police apologized for the temporary inconvenience on Odesa's roads due to the visit of the international delegation. The media was also selectively invited to cover the visit, but the principle of selection remained unknown.

Катерина Глушко