F-16 ammunition, air defenses — Netherlands announces $290 million Ukraine aid package
The Netherlands on Dec. 1 pledged to purchase U.S. arms for Kyiv worth 250 million euros ($290 million) under the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL).
The PURL initiative, launched earlier this year, enables NATO allies to buy advanced U.S. weaponry for Ukraine.
With the latest package, the Netherlands is purchasing drones, missiles for F-16 fighter jets, and ammunition and equipment for air defense for Ukraine, the Dutch Defense Ministry announced.
The Netherlands was the first country to fund arms for Ukraine under the PURL program in August. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said that Kyiv is set to receive up to $5 billion worth of arms under the initiative by the end of this year.
Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans also announced that he had signed an agreement with his Ukrainian counterpart, Denys Shmyhal, on joint drone production in the two countries.
Last year, the Netherlands began supplying Ukraine with F-16 fighter jets, delivering the last of the promised 24 planes by May 2025.
The Ukrainian Air Force has widely used the fourth-generation U.S.-made planes to intercept Russian missiles during mass aerial strikes, which have once again escalated as winter approaches.
Kyiv has been calling upon its allies to bolster its sky shield in the face of regular Russian drone and missile strikes against Ukrainian cities and energy infrastructure.
Two people were killed and 38 were injured in a Russian strike on Kyiv overnight on Nov. 29, which left "almost half" of the city without electricity.
"Ukraine urgently needs more support against the heavy Russian air strikes," Brekelmans said. "Even in this critical moment, Ukraine can count on us!"
