Netherlands allocates €260 mln for ammunition for Ukraine

The Government of the Netherlands will contribute €260 million to the EU joint effort to purchase ammunition for Ukraine.

The Dutch Ministry of Defense reported the decision to fund 155mm ammunition on Tuesday following the meeting of EU defense ministers in Brussels the day before.

Minister of Defense of the Netherlands, Kajsa Ollongren, announced €260 million for Ukraine, increasing the amount of total military aid to Ukraine to €1.2 billion.

"Military support to Ukraine, scaling up of production capacity and new defense projects," the statement said. "This is what EU defense ministers discussed during the meeting, among other things."

The defense ministers also discussed the proposal of European Commissioner Thierry Breton to provide €500 million from the EU budget to increase the capacities of the defense industry, citing the necessity to continue military support to Ukraine and replenish reserves.

EU High Representative Josep Borrell in Brussels said during a press conference following the Council of Ministers of the EU on Foreign Relations (Defense) that the following days, weeks, and months would be decisive for Russia's war against Ukraine, that is why the EU countries are speeding up the delivery of military aid to the Ukrainian armed forces.

Ukraine has received 220,000 projectiles of various calibers and 1,300 missiles from the existing army reserves.

Reference

Projectiles with a 155 mm caliber are the standard weapons of NATO countries, commonly used in field guns, howitzers, and artillery systems. Since the end of the 20th century, most NATO armies have adopted 155-mm weapons as a universal standard. In contrast, Russians usually use 152-mm ammunition.