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Netherlands orders 9 howitzers for Ukraine from Czechia

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Netherlands orders 9 howitzers for Ukraine from Czechia
Ukrainian servicemen fire with a French-made CAESAR self-propelled howitzer toward Russian positions in eastern Ukraine on Dec. 28, 2022. Photo for illustrative purposes. (Sameer Al-Doumy/AFP via Getty Images)

The Dutch Defense Ministry ordered nine DITA howitzers from Czech manufacturers for Ukraine, its press service reported on Feb. 27.

Ukraine's military is facing critical arms shortages as $61 billion in funding from the U.S. remains stuck in Congress, causing defense aid deliveries to run dry. European companies have been looking for ways to boost their own production capacities and have recently announced more deliveries of howitzers to Ukraine.

"The Netherlands is investing in the production capacity of the European defense industry," the Dutch Defense Ministry said in a statement online.

“If we do not do this, it will be at the expense of our own safety," the statement read, citing General Onno Eichelsheim, the country's defense chief.

The DITA howitzers are part of a "large order" from the Netherlands that will be delivered to Ukraine, the ministry said, without specifying when they would arrive.

The Netherlands earlier requested Czechia produce 100 MP-2 anti-aircraft guns for drone disposal and together with the U.S., 100 upgraded T-72 tanks, which are well-known to Ukrainian soldiers and do not require additional training.

In February, the Netherlands, a major provider of military support to Ukraine, pledged to provide Kyiv with 100 million euros ($108.5 million) in aid to help buy ammunition and joined the Latvia-led coalition to strengthen Kyiv’s drone arsenal.

The country also took the lead along with Denmark in establishing a coalition to provide F-16 fighter jets for Ukraine. As of February 2024, the Netherlands has pledged to send 24 F-16s to Ukraine.

France, Netherlands back Czech plan to buy ammunition for Ukraine outside EU
France and the Netherlands back Czechia’s plan to procure hundreds of thousands of ammunition rounds for Ukraine from outside the EU, French President Emmanuel Macron and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte told journalists on Feb. 26.
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Kateryna Hodunova

News Editor

Kateryna Hodunova is a News Editor at the Kyiv Independent. She previously worked as a sports journalist in several Ukrainian outlets and was the deputy chief editor at Suspilne Sport. Kateryna covered the 2022 Olympics in Beijing and was included in the Special Mentions list at the AIPS Sport Media Awards. She holds a bachelor's degree in political journalism from Taras Shevchenko University and a master's degree in political science from the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy.

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