Netherlands pushes to let Ukraine spend EUR 15B EU aid on U.S. weapons

The Netherlands and its allies want at least €15 billion from the EU aid package to be spent on purchasing weapons from the United States or other countries outside the European Union.

This was reported by Ukrinform, citing AD.

The Netherlands believes it is necessary to grant Ukraine the right to use European funds to procure weapons not only from manufacturers in EU member states, but also from third countries, including the United States.

“The Dutch government is diametrically opposed to France in the debate over the €90 billion loan for Ukraine. The French want Zelensky to spend that money on the European arms industry. But without American weapons, Ukraine will lose the battle, the Netherlands and Germany fear. Wednesday will reveal whether the Dutch lobby for US weapons is working,” the report says.

It is noted that about two-thirds of the loan is needed by Ukraine specifically for arms procurement. Authorities in The Hague believe that restrictions on buying American systems would make it impossible to purchase components for F-16 fighter jets, missiles for Patriot air defense systems, as well as long-range weapons, including ATACMS and HIMARS.

The Netherlands emphasizes that Ukraine urgently needs weapons that are currently not produced in sufficient quantities in Europe. Therefore, the Netherlands and its allies propose allowing at least €15 billion from the aid package to be spent on purchasing weapons from the United States or other non-EU countries.

Experts note that the debate once again highlights the limited capacity of Europe’s defense industry and the EU’s dependence on American military technologies amid Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine.

As reported by Ukrinform, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a conversation with Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof that Russia is currently focused on destroying lives rather than pursuing diplomacy, targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.

Photo: dpa