Agreement signed

Ukraine: Two billion in military aid from The Hague

(Bild: Ukrainian Presidential Press Service)

Ukraine, which is under attack from Russia, signed a security agreement with the Netherlands on Friday. "The document provides for two billion euros in military aid from the Netherlands this year," wrote President Volodymyr Zelenskyi on his Telegram channel.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte traveled to the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv for the signing ceremony. With the contract, The Hague is offering Kiev the prospect of further support in the short term with air defense, artillery, armored vehicles and long-range weapons.

Contract concluded for ten years
Ukraine will continue to be supported by the Netherlands in its efforts to join the European Union and NATO. Similar to other previous agreements with Great Britain, Germany, France, Italy, Denmark and Canada, the contract was concluded for ten years.

Ukraine signed a security agreement with the Netherlands on Friday (pictured is Prime Minister Rutte with President Selenskyj).(Bild: Ukrainian Presidential Press Service)

Zelenskyi and Rutte visited residential buildings damaged by Russian shelling and the regional administration building, which was hit by a missile strike in March 2022. The program also included a classroom set up in a subway station. Due to regular Russian missile attacks, over 2,000 pupils in Kharkiv study in classrooms in five metro stations in the city. The Russian border is just over 20 kilometers away from the metropolis.

Kiev strives to join NATO
Ukraine has been fending off a Russian invasion for over two years with Western help. With the security agreements, Kiev is aiming for longer-term support from Western partners in the military sector until the Eastern European state's aspiration to join NATO.