Netherlands to send Ukraine over $2.7B in additional aid in 2024

By Talha Ozturk

BELGRADE, Serbia (AA) — The Netherlands on Thursday revealed plans to provide an additional €2.5 billion (over $2.7 billion) aid in support of Ukraine in its war with Russia next year.

"The Netherlands will continue to support Ukraine with whatever it takes and as long as it takes," Dutch Foreign Minister Hanke Bruins Slot said at the 30th Ministerial Council of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in North Macedonia's capital Skopje.

Delivering opening remarks at the event, she said the Netherlands "is pleased to announce that we will support Ukraine with an additional €2.5 billion support package for 2024,"

This came after Dutch Defense Minister Kajsa Ollongren said the military aid to would help meet Ukraine's ammunition needs and maintain platforms and systems already delivered to the country.

About 1,000 participants from 76 delegations from 57 member countries are attending the OSCE meeting.

Bruins Slot said Russia had committed numerous crimes in Ukraine.

"The Netherlands strongly condemns Russia's policy of illegally transferring and deporting Ukrainian children. These policies are aimed at destroying Ukraine's identity and culture," said Bruins Slot, referring to allegations of "deportation" of Ukrainian children.

On March 17, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova, the country's commissioner for children's rights, over the charges.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is also attending the event, while the delegations of Ukraine and the Baltic states are not participating.