Ukraine conflict: Netherlands to donate more Patriot missiles

The Netherlands will donate more Patriot missiles to Ukraine (photo of Dutch Patriot air-defence system firing during a training exercise in Crete in October 2016). (Netherlands MoD)

The Netherlands will donate more Patriot air-defence missiles to Ukraine, Dutch Defence Minister Kajsa Ollongren told parliament on 13 October, also on behalf of Minister of Foreign Affairs Hanke Bruins Slot and Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Liesje Schreinemacher.

The decision follows Germany’s announcement earlier in October that it would donate another Patriot air-defence system with over 60 more Patriot missiles and two more IRIS-T air-defence systems, among other equipment, to Ukraine.

In April Germany and the US supplied a Patriot battery each to Ukraine under a joint project that also included the Netherlands, which provided two Patriot launchers with missiles.

On 11 October the Dutch Ministry of Defence announced an aid package to Ukraine that includes unmanned aerial vehicles, bridges, mine-clearing equipment, tracks and engines for armoured vehicles, equipment for tanks, and ammunition.