Netherlands commits €400 million into drones for Ukraine defence
The first of the pledged 24 Dutch F-16s has arrived in Ukraine. (Photo: USAF)
The Netherlands has already spent approximately €4 billion so far in military support to Ukraine.
Dutch defence minister Ruben Brekelmans has said the Netherlands will invest €400 million (US$440 million) towards an advanced UAS development plan, according to Reuters. The systems will include defence, offence, and reconnaissance and surveillance types, Brekelmans reportedly said.
The defence minister also confirmed this plan in a letter to the Dutch parliament, dated 6 October 2024. Half of the UAS will be developed in the Netherlands with the other half developed in Ukraine and other countries. This larger figure follows on from June 2024, where it was announced that the Netherlands would spend €60 million on UAVs for Ukraine.
As stated in the letter, the Netherlands has pledged €10 billion in military support to Ukraine since the Russian invasion on 24 February 2024 and has spent approximately €4 billion so far. In 2024, €2 billion in military aid was pledged to Ukraine which – according to Shephard Defence Insight – would be reportedly made up of UAS and ammunition.
The letter also confirmed that the first of the pledged 24 Dutch F-16s had arrived in Ukraine. The timeline for other aircraft to be delivered would happen in the “upcoming months and maybe beginning of next year”, Brekelmans added. According to Shephard Defence Insight, the Netherlands retired its last F-16 aircraft in September 2024.
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