Netherlands allocates additional 700 million euros for Ukraine in 2026
The outgoing Dutch government agreed to release an additional 700 million euros (almost $820 million) in support for Ukraine for next year, local media reported on Dec 8.
The move comes in response to a parliament-backed request from the GreenLeft–Labour alliance to allocate an additional 2 billion euros ($2.3 billion) in support for Kyiv in the 2026 budget.
The initial sum, comprising 500 million euros ($580 million) in unspent funds from the Dutch Defense Ministry and 200 million euros ($230 million) from the Foreign Ministry, is the "first step" in this direction, the Dutch government said.
The government is expected to discuss the source of the remaining funds early next year.
The move follows a heated debate in the parliament. Outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof initially opposed the step, arguing that other international partners — particularly those from Southern Europe — should step up instead.
This stance prompted backlash, with the center-right Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) party deriding Schoof as a "bookkeeper."
While the Netherlands allocates around 3.5 billion euros ($4.1 billion) to Ukraine annually, some 2 billion euros of the next year's budget have already been spent. This led to the motion to supplement the budget with additional support.
Military assistance from European partners for Ukraine is increasingly crucial now, as the U.S. has significantly reduced its support under U.S. President Donald Trump, who instead aims to negotiate a quick peace deal with Moscow.
Since the outbreak of the full-scale invasion in 2022, the Netherlands has provided Ukraine with substantial military aid, including F-16 fighter jets and air defenses.
According to the Kiel Institute's Ukraine Support Tracker, the country has donated approximately 1.1% of its GDP in bilateral aid to Ukraine as of August, significantly outpacing the share allocated to Kyiv by more populous countries such as France or Italy.
The Netherlands has also been among the leading donors to the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL), a NATO-led initiative under which allies purchase arms for Kyiv from U.S. contractors.
The country's recent donation to PURL of approximately $290 million was allocated for the purchase of ammunition for Ukraine's air defenses and F-16 fighters.
