The Netherlands to be the first NATO member to provide 500 million euros worth of American weapons to Ukraine

The Netherlands will be the first NATO ally to allocate American weapons for Ukraine for EUR 500 million, reported defense minister Ruben Brekelmans.

"Ukraine needs more air defense and ammunition now. As the first NATO Ally, the Netherlands will deliver a €500 million package of US weapon systems (incl. Patriot parts and missiles)," the official wrote.

According to him, this support "helps Ukraine to defend itself and the rest of Europe against Russian aggression."

"This is the first such step among NATO countries at a time when Russia is trying to scale up its attacks. It will definitely help protect the lives of our people!", president Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote after talking with Dutch prime minister Dick Schoof.

The Ukrainian leader noted that this decision was one of the practical results of the North Atlantic Alliance summit in The Hague: "I thank NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte for his determination to strengthen our defense. I am grateful to Dick Schoof for today's decision, and we look forward to his visit to Ukraine!"

UPDATE. This package was allocated under the new United States and NATO Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) mechanism, according to Defense minister Denys Shmyhal. For more details on how the new initiative works, read here.

• On July 25, Ukrainian Armed Forces chief Syrskyi announced that the air defense systems that the allies had agreed to transfer to Ukraine, are on the way.
• On August 1, the German Defense minister confirmed that his country will supply Ukraine with two Patriot systems in exchange for Berlin being first on the US list to receive the latest generation of replacement systems.
• Deputy head of the HUR Skibitsky said that in addition to the two systems from Germany, there were also two systems from the United States, one from the Netherlands is also expected.