The Dutch government is preparing a new support package for Ukraine worth 90 million euros. The funds will be used to expand domestic production of drones: both reconnaissance and strike.
The Dutch government is preparing a new support package for Ukraine worth 90 million euros. The funds will be used to expand domestic production of drones: both reconnaissance and strike.
According to «European Pravda», Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans announced the decision before the start of the North Atlantic Council meeting at the level of defense ministers. According to him, the Netherlands «is doing more for Ukraine than ever» and sees that the Ukrainian defense industry is capable of producing more, so they will invest additional funds in the serial production of UAVs.
The goal is simple: increase the number of drones on the frontline and accelerate the delivery of proven solutions. Brekelmans stressed that partners must ensure a stable flow of assistance and make long-term commitments to security. He also mentioned broader financing mechanisms, including projects that could involve frozen Russian assets.
The Dutch package concerns production in Ukraine: it concerns reconnaissance drones for observation and fire adjustment and strike platforms for hitting targets behind enemy lines. The investments should go to components, modernization of production lines, and rapid scaling of ready-made models that have already proven their effectiveness on the battlefield.
This complements the partners’ already announced steps. Last week, the Netherlands allocated €200 million for countermeasures against enemy UAVs, from electronic warfare to detection and interception. Separately, they are investing €110 million in joint projects to produce long-range strike drones. Together, these decisions should strengthen both the «shield» and the «sword» of Ukraine’s air defense and strike capabilities.
The minister also stated that Russia is counting on world fatigue, so the allies should increase the price for the Kremlin of continuing aggression — with sanctions, economic pressure and the constant strengthening of the Ukrainian army. It is for this reason that the Netherlands combines bilateral programs with broader European instruments for financing Ukraine’s defense.
Since 2024, the Netherlands has been one of the drivers of the «drone coalition» within the Ramstein format. For Ukraine, the focus on scaling up its own UAV production means less dependence on imports, shorter logistics times, and faster model updates to meet the needs of the front.
Previously, dev.ua wrote about how the Dutch Defence Cluster launched in Kyiv, which became a platform that should bring together Dutch defense technology manufacturers with Ukrainian partners and accelerate joint projects for the front and security.
