Dutch PM Rutte visits Lithuania
AMSTERDAM (Reuters) -The Netherlands will provide Ukraine with an additional 1 billion euros ($1.06 billion) in military support this year, and has earmarked 3 billion euros for 2025, caretaker Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said on Friday.
The extra support in 2024 takes the total sum for this year to 3 billion euros and will be complemented by 400 million euros in aid to support Ukraine’s economy, Rutte said in a post on social media platform X.
The Netherlands has been one of the leading donors of military support to Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Rutte said he discussed the new aid in a phone call with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, and had promised to work on accelerating the supply of weapons and ammunition to Ukraine.
“Thank you, Mark, thank you, Dutch people! This is an exemplary case of support for Ukraine,” Zelenskiy said in a post on Telegram following the phone call with Rutte, who is seen as the leading candidate to become the next Secretary-General of NATO later this year.
Rutte’s government is working in caretaker mode until a new cabinet is formed, following the November 2023 election won by far right-leader Geert Wilders’ nationalist PVV party.
His election victory had cast doubt on the future of Dutch military support to Ukraine.
Despite criticism from Wilders, Rutte last month signed a long-term security deal with Ukraine that should secure assistance through the coming 10 years.
($1 = 0.9405 euros)
(Reporting by Bart MeijerEditing by Ros Russell)
