Netherlands to allocate €500 million to drone development for Ukraine

The Netherlands has announced it will allocate €500 million for a drone production project to support Ukraine in its ongoing fight against Russian aggression.

As reported by Dutch Ministry of Defence, the €500 million is part of an accelerated funding package worth €2 billion, which the Netherlands plans to allocate in 2025, the Dutch Defence Ministry stated.

The announcement was made by Defence Minister Ruben Brekelmans and State Secretary for Defence Geis Tuinman during their visit to Ukraine.

"It was important to announce that we are providing Ukraine with accelerated support totalling €2 billion, including a €500 million drone development project. These drones will play a crucial role on the battlefield and will literally save lives," the ministry quoted Brekelmans as saying.

The minister noted that this support would strengthen Ukraine’s position both on the front line and at the negotiating table.

Following his meeting with Brekelmans in Kyiv, Ukraine’s Defence Minister Rustem Umierov said that the Netherlands is additionally allocating €3.5 billion to Ukraine, a significant portion of which will go toward security assistance in 2025.

Umierov also stated that the Netherlands supports the Drone Line initiative and is investing in Ukrainian drone production, although he did not disclose the amount of investment.

In March, Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof announced a €700 million investment package for drone production, aimed in part at supporting Ukraine’s defence industry.