Netherlands Postpones €750 Million Defense Support for Ukraine to 2025 Due to "Tight Global Market"

The Netherlands will be unable to allocate €750 million earmarked for direct military aid to Ukraine in 2024 due to the "tight global market for defense equipment," Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans announced on December 5.

In a letter to Dutch Parliament, Brekelmans explained that the Netherlands has already exhausted its stockpiles of weapons available for direct transfer. Procuring new equipment has proven challenging, as funds are available, but weapons are not.

To address this, the Dutch Ministry of Defense has decided to roll over the €750 million to the 2025 budget, ensuring that the funds will still be used for direct military support to Ukraine, without any loss of financial commitment.

“The funds are thus not lost and the planned destination remains unchanged,” Brekelmans said.

This stems from simultaneous Western efforts to procure arms for their own defense needs and to support Ukraine’s military, exceeding the capacity of existing production facilities, according to the Defense Minister.

The Ukrainian defense industry is also grappling with a tight market, Brekelmans noted. While substantial investments would greatly benefit Ukraine's local defense firms, Ukraine currently lacks sufficient equipment ready for delivery this year, he stated.

The Netherlands has allocated a total of €970 million in its budget to address Ukraine’s short-term defense needs. A significant portion of this funding will be invested directly in Ukraine’s defense industry.

”Incidentally, a significant portion of this remaining budget will be used to purchase equipment directly from the Ukrainian defense industry,” Brekelmans wrote.

The Netherlands has committed to providing €10.4 billion in direct military aid to Ukraine, of which €9.5 billion has already been delivered, legally secured, or is under negotiation with partners.

Previously on December 7, Ukraine has received the second batch of F-16 fighter jets provided by Denmark as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen its air defenses.