Netherlands gives Ukraine €500m 'winter package' for air defence and drones, plus €1.2bn for recovery

What was announced in The Hague

President Volodymyr Zelensky visited the Netherlands on 28 October. After his meeting with Prime Minister Rob Jetten, the Dutch government announced an additional military package for Ukraine worth €500 million. Dutch media describe it as a “winter package”: the money is intended primarily for air defence and drones, exactly what Ukraine needs to protect its cities and energy system during the cold season.

“This aid is badly needed right now, because Russia has stepped up strikes on civilian targets and critical infrastructure. Civilian casualties are rising, and as winter approaches people face new trials,” Jetten said at a joint press conference in The Hague. In his view, Russia’s strategy is “the deliberate spreading of death and destruction”, but it will not succeed in breaking Ukraine. “Your fight is also our fight,” he told Zelensky.

€1.2bn in non-military aid over three years

Separately, The Hague has earmarked non-military support for 2027–2029 totalling about €1.2 billion. According to Reuters, this breaks down into roughly €380 million in 2027 and about €410 million in each of 2028 and 2029.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi, who met Dutch Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Sjoerd Sjoerdsma in Kyiv, called the package “practical support for energy, water supply, the private sector and reconstruction” (quoted by Yevropeiska Pravda). Among the priorities he listed backup equipment and spare parts for rapid repairs after attacks and physical protection of energy facilities. According to the Dutch government, €40 million will go to the Ukraine Energy Support Fund before the end of the year for urgent repairs, and another €55 million to in-kind deliveries of energy equipment from Dutch companies. “Ukraine is under heavy fire and facing a tough winter,” Sjoerdsma said. The two economy ministers are due to sign a declaration of intent on Ukraine’s industrial resilience and an “Industrial Ramstein”.

A joint missile-defence project

Ukraine and the Netherlands have also started work on an air-defence project called Bliksem (“Lightning”). “Work on the project has begun,” Zelensky said, declining to give details because the bilateral projects “are only just starting”. According to The Kyiv Independent, it concerns a pan-European interceptor against ballistic targets. The president also named defence production, energy, industry and satellite technology as promising areas — not least because of recent problems with communications and satellites.

“Our key shortage right now is anti-ballistic missiles to intercept Russian ballistics. The Russians are betting heavily on ballistic missiles in this war, especially before winter,” Zelensky said. Commenting on delays in deliveries of Patriot interceptors, he added: “Every day of delay means new losses.”

Sanctions and Russian gas

“The only way forward for Europeans, Americans and other partners is to strengthen sanctions against the Russian regime, not weaken them,” Jetten said. He argued that Putin is losing both on the battlefield and in the economy, which is “rapidly declining”. “Buying Russian energy is a very unwise decision… in the coming years no European leader plans to buy Russian gas,” the prime minister added.

Meeting with the King

On the same day Zelensky was received by King Willem-Alexander at Huis ten Bosch palace. According to the president, he told the King about the lives of Ukrainians under constant Russian strikes and about diplomatic work with partners to achieve peace. Zelensky called the Netherlands “one of Ukraine’s closest and most reliable partners”

Why it matters

The new package arrives as Russia has stepped up combined strikes on energy and railways, and the speed of missile deliveries will determine how quiet the winter is in Ukrainian cities. Long-term non-military funding three years ahead also gives Ukraine predictability in planning its recovery.