The Netherlands Pledges Over $100Mln to Provide Ukraine With Artillery Shells
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The Netherlands will allocate more than 100 million euros ($108.5 million) to the Czech initiative to purchase artillery shells for Ukraine, Prime Minister Mark Rutte said on Tuesday.
"It is essential, first and foremost, that we deliver what we’ve promised. And look at what else we can do. That is why the Netherlands is contributing more than 100 million euros to the Czech initiative to quickly deliver hundreds of thousands of artillery shells to Ukraine," Rutte said on X.
He also recalled that the Netherlands is negotiating with Ukraine a security agreement "to continue to support the country for at least the next 10 years."
Earlier in the month, Czech President Petr Pavel told the Munich Security Conference that Prague had identified an unnamed country outside the bloc with 500,000 155mm rounds and another 300,000 122mm rounds that could be delivered to Ukraine within weeks if quick funding was provided.
In December, Rutte said that he had informed Volodymyr Zelensky about the government's decision to prepare the first 18 F-16 fighters for delivery to Ukraine. The delivery of the first fighters was expected in 2024, The Hague said. In February, Dutch Defense Minister Kajsa Ollongren said that the Netherlands was preparing to send six more F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine.
Western countries, including member states of the European Union, have been providing military and financial aid to Kiev since the start of Russia's special military operation in Ukraine in February 2022. The Kremlin has consistently warned against continued arms deliveries to Kiev, saying it would lead to further escalation of the conflict.
