Netherlands, Lithuania pledge ammunition, air defenses for Ukraine
The announcement came at the 27th meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group in Brussels, a coalition of around 50 countries backing Kyiv against Russian aggression.
Referring to President Volodymyr Zelensky's request for additional air defenses, Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans told reporters ahead of the meeting that the new aid will help Ukraine defend its skies.
The Netherlands has previously donated Patriot launchers to Ukraine and allocated over $2 billion in military aid this year, including 500 million euros ($540 million) for Ukraine's Drone Line initiative for boosting unmanned capabilities.
Speaking ahead of the Ramstein-format summit, Lithuania's Defense Minister Dovile Sakaliene said her country intends to provide Ukraine with an "additional 20 million euros for ammo acquisition, because this is one of the things that Ukraine really needs right now."
"And the summer may be very difficult. Therefore, we need to push forward our support," the Lithuanian defense chief said, according to the LRT broadcaster.
Both countries have been among the staunchest supporters of Ukraine during the full-scale war, with the Netherlands delivering F-16 jets and Lithuania being among the leading backers in terms of GDP allocated to aid.
The latest packages come atop other assistance announced by Ukraine's partners at the summit. The U.K. and Norway have already committed an additional 450 million pounds ($585 million) in military support, while Germany pledged four new IRIS-T air defenses, armored vehicles, tanks, missiles, shells, and other support.
Read also: 'Today we will pledge billions' for Ukraine — allies begin Ramstein-format meeting in Brussels
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Washington Post
5 minutes ago
- Washington Post
Europe pushes hard to sway Trump before Alaska summit with Putin on Ukraine
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And, if such negotiations occur, a European counteroffer has pushed the idea that any retreat of Ukrainian forces from Ukrainian-controlled territory should be matched on an inch-for-inch basis by Russia's withdrawal from occupied Ukrainian territory, according to three people briefed on the discussions. European and NATO allies have often failed to sway Trump's thinking, or even to be heard by the U.S. president ahead of big policy decisions, such as to bomb Iranian nuclear facilities. And they are frequently dismayed by Trump's policy moves, for example, his unilateral imposition of tariffs. The Europeans recognize that they can only do so much to influence a president who often veers off-script and likes nothing more than to declare a deal. But on Ukraine recently they have met with some success, for example, by persuading Trump to allow them to transfer U.S. weapons to Ukraine and purchase replacements for themselves. And in recent days, especially after a meeting with Vice President JD Vance in Britain over the weekend, they have found the U.S. administration receptive to some of their red lines. After that meeting, Vance, in a television interview, endorsed at least one European position — that the current line of contact and positioning of Ukrainian and Russian troops should be the starting point of any talks — rejecting a Russian demand that Ukraine first surrender its entire eastern Donbas area. Ahead of Wednesday's call some Europeans expressed guarded optimism, especially with Trump seeming to lower expectations of securing a deal in Alaska. There appears to be 'more of an understanding from the Americans that you can't just go for land swaps which would somehow give a prize to Russia,' said one European Union official, who like others in this article spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive diplomacy. Still, the official added, 'it's clear that there are sort of discrepancies, and as we've seen it in the U.S. system by now, you have one man who will decide.' But even with Trump making a more concerted effort to consult allies and keep them updated, there has been confusion over whether Putin is even willing to swap territory, officials said. The administration understood that a partial Russian retreat might be possible after U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff returned from meeting with Putin in Moscow last week. However, the Russian offer apparently calls for a Ukrainian surrender of territory that Russian forces don't even control as a precondition for a ceasefire, the people briefed on the talks said. As that mix-up has come untangled, the administration has lowered expectations for the high-stakes Trump-Putin summit, officials said. 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USA Today
6 minutes ago
- USA Today
UN chief puts Israel, Russia 'on notice' over conflict-related sexual violence accusations
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7 minutes ago
Trump-Putin meet will be 'listening exercise,' White House says, as Kyiv 'mobilizes' allies
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