The Dutch caretaker government is allocating an additional €700 million to Ukraine for 2026. This became possible because other ministries will not be able to spend the funds by the end of this year, Nu.nl reported.
Where the money comes from
€500 million of this sum will be found in the Defense Ministry's budget, and a further €200 million in the Foreign Affairs budget. It has not been disclosed what the funds are to be used for.
The Netherlands provides Ukraine with about €3.5 billion in aid annually. But €2 billion from next year's budget has already been spent this year, so it "will be difficult to find more money in the budget" for 2026. The GreenLeft–Labour Party alliance proposed topping up the budget for the coming year.
Conflict in parliament
At the end of November, acting Prime Minister Dik Schuf said he does not support allocating additional funds to Ukraine. He stressed that other countries should first increase their contributions, and that any extra support from the Netherlands could be discussed within the framework of the Spring Budget Memorandum.
This position drew criticism in parliament, where the government was accused of "accounting-minded thinking." Schuf called that description "absolutely inappropriate," pointing to the substantial volumes of aid to Ukraine. Under pressure from the majority, he agreed to consider options for implementing the proposal.
Context
The Netherlands remains one of Ukraine's key partners in providing military and financial assistance. The country not only allocates billions of euros in support but also supplies weaponry, including air defense systems and F-16 fighter jets. The decision to provide an additional €700 million demonstrates that support for Ukraine remains a priority for the Dutch parliament despite the caretaker government's stance.
