Minister of Defense of Ukraine Rustem Umerov and his Netherlands’ counterpart Ruben Brekelmans synchronized plans for the delivery of allocated aid to Ukraine, its effective use on the battlefield, and operational support during their meeting in The Hague.
Umerov announced this on Facebook, as reported by Ukrinform.
“The Netherlands is among the leaders in supporting Ukraine, and their assistance has significantly increased in 2024. We have already secured agreements for 2025,” Ukraine’s Defense Minister stated.
The top priority, he noted, is the F-16 program. Ukraine expects another batch of aircraft to be delivered this year. Pilot, engineering, and technical training is ongoing.
Umerov emphasized that the Netherlands plays a key role in the Air Force Coalition, supporting the development of Ukraine’s aviation infrastructure and capabilities.
The second priority, according to the Ukrainian Defense Minister, is drones. During the meeting, the ministers coordinated the allocation of the previously announced €400 million and discussed preparations for large-scale joint projects related to long-range capabilities.
Other topics on the agenda included artillery ammunition, air defense, and interceptor missiles. Umerov noted that the Netherlands clearly understands Ukraine’s needs and is ready to help.
Great to receive my Ukrainian colleague @rustem_umerov!
Our support to Ukraine is unwavering: F16’s, drones, ammunition etc.
I announce we will train Ukrainian ground crews to keep F16’s operable. We deliver the full F16 package!
Thank you for all you do for our security! 🇺🇦🇳🇱 pic.twitter.com/vaI08nqdp0
— Ruben Brekelmans (@DefensieMin) January 31, 2025
The parties also discussed industrial cooperation. According to Umerov, the next logical step is the development of joint defense enterprises to strengthen the capabilities of both countries’ armed forces.
Umerov thanked Brekelmans for the productive negotiations and expressed gratitude to the Dutch government and people for their unwavering support of Ukraine.
As reported by Ukrinform, Umerov arrived in the Netherlands to meet with Defense Minister Brekelmans to coordinate security cooperation plans for the current year. He also plans to visit the training center for F-16 specialists.
