Premiere in NATO: The country paying 500 million euros for arming Ukraine, as Trump requested
A soldier passes by the Patriot anti-aircraft defense systems installed at the Ukraine military hub at Rzeszów-Jasionka, Poland. Photo: Sergei gap / AFP / Profimedia
The Netherlands announced on Monday that it will contribute 500 million euros ($ 578 million) to the purchase of US military equipment for Ukraine, thus becoming the first NATO country that contributes to the new US weapon supply mechanism, writes Reuters.
US President Donald Trump announced last month that the US will provide weapons, paid by European allies, but has not provided details about how this will be achieved.
“The Netherlands will deliver a package of 500 million euros of American weapons systems (including Patriot's and missiles),” said the Dutch defense minister Ruben Brekelmans, in a message published on the Social network X, mentioning that his country is the first ally of NATO to do this.
The head of NATO, Mark Rutte, a former Dutch prime minister, welcomed the announcement and said he had encouraged other members of the Alliance to participate in the new mechanism, called the NATO Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (Purl) initiative.
“It is about providing Ukraine the equipment that it urgently needs to defend itself against Russian aggression,” Rutte said in a statement.
“I wrote to all NATO allies, urging them to contribute to this initiative to divide tasks, and I am soon waiting for important ads from other allies,” he added.
The US ambassador to NATO, Matthew Whitaker, told Reuters on Monday that many other countries will announce in the coming weeks that they will participate in the new mechanism.
“We act as soon as possible,” said Whitaker, in an interview at the NATO headquarters in Brussels.
Asked about the US delivery calendar to Ukraine in the new mechanism, he replied: “I think we will see very fast progress, certainly in the coming weeks, but some even earlier.”
“The Netherlands is only the first in a long series. You will see a series of ads in the coming weeks,” Whitaker added.
NATO has announced that it will coordinate the new initiative, which is funded by the European members of the Alliance and Canada and will be divided into packages worth about $ 500 million.
In a statement, the Alliance said: “In close collaboration with Ukraine and the United States, the supreme commander of allied forces in Europe, Alexus Grynkewich, will validate the packages that meet Ukraine, such as anti-aircraft defense, ammunition and other critical equipment for rapid US delivery.”
Kiev welcomed the decision of the Netherlands.
“Ukraine and, therefore, the whole of Europe, will be better protected from Russian terror,” wrote Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelenski, in a post on X.
“I am honestly grateful to the Netherlands for the substantial contribution to strengthening the air shield of Ukraine,” added the Kiev leader.
