Nato to deliver more military aid to Ukraine after Dutch minister announces deal
Two deliveries of equipment, most of it bought in the United States, are expected this month, although the Nordic package is expected to arrive in September.
The equipment is supplied based on Ukraine's priority needs on the battlefield. Nato allies then locate the weapons and ammunition and send them on.
'Packages will be prepared rapidly and issued on a regular basis,' a Nato spokesperson said.
Air defence systems are in greatest need, as the United Nations said that Russia's relentless pounding of urban areas behind the front line has killed more than 12,000 Ukrainian civilians.
Russia's bigger army is also making slow but costly progress along the 620-mile front line. Currently, it is waging an operation to take the eastern city of Pokrovsk, a logistical hub whose fall could allow it to drive deeper into Ukraine.
European allies and Canada are buying most of the equipment which they plan to send from the United States, which has greater stocks of military material, as well as more effective weapons. The Trump administration is not giving any arms to Ukraine.
The new deliveries will come on top of other pledges of military equipment.
The Kiel Institute, which tracks support to Ukraine, estimates that as of June, European countries had provided 72 billion euros (£63bn) worth of military aid since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, compared with 65 billion dollars (£49bn) in US aid.
Dutch defence minister Ruben Brekelmans said that 'American air defence systems and munitions, in particular, are crucial for Ukraine to defend itself'.
Announcing the deliveries on Monday, he said Russia's attacks are 'pure terror, intended to break Ukraine'.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed his gratitude to the Netherlands, posting on social media that 'Ukraine, and thus the whole of Europe, will be better protected from Russian terror'.
He said the deliveries are coming 'at a time when Russia is trying to scale up its strikes. This will definitely help protect the lives of our people!'
Germany said on Friday that it will deliver two more Patriot air defence systems to Ukraine in the coming days.
It agreed to the move after securing assurances that the US will prioritise the delivery of new Patriots to Germany to backfill its stocks. These weapon systems are made only in the US.
As an organisation, Nato provides only non-lethal assistance to Ukraine such as uniforms, tents, medical supplies and logistics support. The 32-nation military alliance has mostly sought to protect Nato territory from possible Russian attack and avoid being dragged into a war against a nuclear power.
But its support role has expanded since US President Donald Trump took office in January, even as his administration insists European allies must now take care of their own security and that of their war-ravaged neighbour. Mr Trump has made no public promise of weapons or economic support for Ukraine.
Mr Trump said on July 28 that the US is 'going to be sending now military equipment and other equipment to Nato, and they'll be doing what they want, but I guess it's for the most part working with Ukraine'.
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''Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans' is and always was about the jeans,' the brand wrote. 'Her jeans. her story. 'We'll continue to celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence, their way. Great jeans look good on everyone.' Buzzfeed was first to report the news not long after one social media user on X uploaded a now-viral post on Friday The Euphoria actress also broke her silence on Saturday by making a return to social media with a cryptic post. She uploaded a photo of a bouquet of pink roses and added a white heart emoji over the image. Insiders have also revealed the impact that the ad starring Sydney has had on the brand - and have claimed that 70% of the reaction to the campaign has been positive. 'This is yet another example of how social media is just not reflective of real life. The absurd response from some corners of the internet is absolutely not reflective of how American Eagle's customers feel,' sources told TMZ. 'The bottom line is that this was about creating a great pair of jeans and supporting a very worthy cause through some of the proceeds going to domestic violence prevention.' They continued, 'Anything beyond that is noise that is not registering with the average person. 'Regardless of how people feel about the ad, we hope they can agree we should be doing more to support and empower those who are experiencing domestic violence.' Late last month on July 23, Sydney opened up about her involvement in the denim campaign in a news release. Earlier this week on Friday, Sydney was defended by American Eagle as the company released a statement amid the backlash 'There is something so effortless about American Eagle,' she expressed. 'It's the perfect balance of being put-together but still feeling like yourself. 'Their commitment to creating pieces that make you feel confident and comfortable in your own skin is something that resonates with me.' 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