On 1 March, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte signed an agreement on security cooperation between the two countries in Kharkiv.
According to the president's website, Zelenskyy and Rutte held talks in narrow, expanded formats and in the format of a military cabinet meeting.
The agreement cements the Netherlands' decision to continue cooperation to further provide and expand assistance to Ukraine in defending itself against Russian aggression for as long as necessary. The document is valid for 10 years from the date of signing.
What was stipulated in the agreement:
military assistance from the Netherlands worth €2 billion in 2024 and continued defence support for 10 years;
providing Ukraine with modern military equipment and support for the defence industry. The priority is air defence, artillery, armoured vehicles, support for maritime and long-range capabilities, and in particular the Air Force;
non-military sector: enhanced assistance to Ukraine in the areas of economic recovery and reconstruction, countering hybrid threats, intelligence, cyber and information security, fighting organised crime, and critical infrastructure;
expanded blocks on sanctions, compensation for damages and bringing Russia to justice, as well as on the Netherlands' support for Ukraine's cultural heritage;
support from the Netherlands for Ukraine's future membership in the EU and NATO.
a 24-hour emergency response mechanism in case of repeated military aggression against Ukraine.
At a meeting of the military cabinet, Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Mark Rutte spoke with Minister of Defence Rustem Umerov, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyy and Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk. Representatives of the Ukrainian army spoke about the current situation on the battlefield and the specifics of Russian air attacks.
They also reported on the critical needs of the Defence Forces in terms of ammunition, air defence systems and armoured vehicles. They also discussed the needs of the air defence forces to protect Kharkiv.