Dutch deliver first Patriot missiles to Ukraine under new Trump-NATO plan
'The Netherlands will deliver a €500 million package of US weapon systems (incl. Patriot parts and missiles),' Brekelmans wrote on social media, adding that it will be the 'first NATO ally' to do so.
Under an agreement reached last month, several European countries committed to sending US-made weapons from their existing stockpiles to Ukraine and pledged to replenish them with the same systems. To enable rapid delivery, the US has promised a rapid backfill, though implementation may prove complex
The packages include highly sophisticated air-defence Patriot systems, which cost around €1 billion per battery and €4 million per missile.
'Great to see the Netherlands taking the lead and funding the first package of US military equipment for Ukraine under NATO's Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) initiative,' NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte wrote on X following the announcement.
Germany is also expected to deliver Patriot launchers in the coming days.
Each package under the PURL initiative is estimated to be worth around €500 million and contains "equipment and munitions identified by Ukraine as operational priorities,' according to the Western alliance.
Rutte, who also contacted all 32 NATO members urging them to contribute to the initiative, said he expects 'further significant announcements from other Allies soon.'
Countries that expressed interest in early July include Germany, Finland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and Canada, Rutte said at the time.
(de)
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Euractiv
an hour ago
- Euractiv
Ex-Krah aide's memos could expose German far right in China spy trial
The espionage trial against former Krah aide Jian G starts Tuesday, featuring sensitive memos on internal AfD coups and the private life of the party's co-leader Euractiv is part of the Trust Project Nick Alipour Euractiv Aug 5, 2025 06:00 3 min. read News Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. BERLIN – The espionage trial against Maximilian Krah's former parliamentary assistant starts on Tuesday, amid reports that it could reveal sensit ive memos about the far-right Alternative for Germany. The staffer, identified as Jian G, was arrested shortly before the 2024 European elections on charges of spying for China. Prosecutors allege he collected some 500 sensitive parliamentary documents in Brussels between 2019 and 2024, while working for Krah, a former AfD MEP, who is now a German MP. Tuesday's hearings could bring delicate AfD matters to light, which G allegedly recorded in several memos, some of which were revealed by German media last week. According to German magazine Der Spiegel, the memos are part of the evidence in the case and contain information on planned internal coups, business plans of AfD MPs, as well as on the personal life of Alice Weidel, the AfD's co-chair. Krah told G during a breakfast meeting in Prague in January 2024 that the AfD's second co-chair, Tino Chrupalla, was looking to topple Weidel, Der Spiegel reported. Chrupalla had let Weidel take the spotlight as lead candidate in the 2025 German elections, Krah reportedly said, in the hope of becoming the sole leader of the AfD if Weidel stumbled due to 'her weakness and lack of leadership qualities." The AfD MP also allegedly disclosed the identity of the sperm donor for one of Weidel's children with her female partner. Der Spiegel reported that Weidel's love life was likewise discussed during a meeting of G and Jan Wenzel Schmidt, another AfD MP, at a restaurant in Magdeburg, Germany. The MP reportedly claimed that the AfD leader was 'not as tough and determined' as she appears in public but still too popular to be replaced by Krah, for example. Schmidt also pitched a business idea to G on selling synthetic diamonds, one of which was reportedly handed to G as a demonstrator. Both Krah and Schmidt have largely denied the claims made by the reports. Krah told Der Spiegel that he didn't recall a meeting in Prague and denied conversations about internal and private matters, presuming that G simply took note of general rumours. Schmidt acknowledged the Magdeburg meeting, but denied that he discussed business or Weidel's private life. Thirteen days have been earmarked for the trial, with Krah himself expected to testify on 3 September. The MP, who was elected to the Bundestag in this year's German elections, had his own immunity lifted by the German parliament in May in relation to the trial as p rosecutors are investigating charges of money laundering and bribery. Der Spiegel reported that businesses affiliated with G allegedly paid some €50,000 to law firms that Krah worked for. Neither Krah nor Schmidt responded to requests for comment by the time of publication. (mm) Euractiv is part of the Trust Project
Euractiv
2 hours ago
- Euractiv
Europe's humiliation is a comms strategy – and that's the problem
Nicolai von Ondarza is head of the EU/Europe Research Division at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP, a German government-funded think tank) in Berlin and an Associate Fellow at Chatham House. The EU-US trade deal announced last week has received an icy reception across the continent. French Prime Minister Bayrou decried a " submission" and many commentators lamented a humiliation for Europe. But much like the promises of 5% of defence spending at June's NATO summit, the humiliation has more to do with the performative concessions of European leaders. These embarrassing exhibitions of self-debasement allow Trump to trumpet his victories, but they sting less under closer inspection. Viewed side by side, the NATO summit and the EU-US trade demonstrate a strategic communication of subservience. At NATO, Secretary General Mark Rutte was unabashed in his deference , with texts to Trump that the American president later publicised . 'Europe is going to pay in a BIG way, as they should, and it will be your win,' Rutte fawned . The whole summit was designed around Trump's notoriously short attention span. It ended with the pledge from member states to spend 3.5% of GDP on defence, topped up with 1.5% on defence-related spending – an invitation for creative accounting that gave Trump the 5% he so desired. But eyebrow-raising numbers aside, the announcements at the NATO summit will build a stronger European defence. The European increases in defence spending will end up boosting national defence spending. So long as this is done wisely , this will lay the ground for Europe to assert greater control over its defence. In addition, much of the 1.5% top-up will pay for infrastructure investments that were planned anyway. Contrary to the presentation as a gift to Trump, European investment in European defence could significantly reduce the dependence on the US, at least for conventional deterrence. The strategy of subservience was even more obnoxious with Sunday's trade deal. Whilst America's military might is integral to European security, the EU prides itself on its strength as a global economic power, with the EU27's common trade policy conducted by the EU Commission. But over months of tariff threats from Trump, with ever-changing deadlines, the EU – at the behest of its member states – chose to delay retaliation again and again. The Union has now not only accepted a deal that sees tariffs rise to 15% on many goods (without equivalent rises of EU tariffs for the US), but also made investment promises to the tune of €550bn into the US, pledged to ramp up purchases of US fossil energy, and acquiesced to buy defence equipment and AI chips for more than €700bn in the next three years. No reciprocal engagements have been made from the US side. And yet in public, the EU is following Trump's line that the deal is a big win. For Trump, it is surely that. But for the EU, it looks like a capitulation. Not quite. What we see is the same comms strategy that lets Trump show he got big wins by presenting big numbers. Look more closely and these performative concessions consist either of investments Europeans already planned (e.g. AI chips, LNG, defence equipment), and/or lofty, non-binding promises that the EU cannot enforce as the choices must be taken by private companies. Even with the higher tariffs on cars, trade expert Sam Lowe argues , production in Europe is more attractive than in North America when the higher input costs from Trump's tariffs on steel and aluminium are taken into account. But rather than hi l ghlight the President's bluster, European leaders – both national and in the EU – are actively choosing to let Trump have his win. This ostentatious humiliation may well bring Europe some breathing space in the short term. It has already avoided the worst-case scenarios: by keeping the US on board with NATO and preventing the 30% tariffs Trump had been ready to deploy. And the costs are not as high as the public wins for Trump suggest. Yet the political price may be steep: Europe has signalled to its citizens and the world that it is willing to bow to Trump's pressure. This unappealing strategy will only be worthwhile if European leaders use the breathing space it gives them to effectively and jointly reduce dependency on the US. Failure to do so will be a resounding catastrophe.
Euractiv
12 hours ago
- Euractiv
Dutch deliver first Patriot missiles to Ukraine under new Trump-NATO plan
The Netherlands will deliver the first package of US-made weapons, including Patriot missiles, to Ukraine under a new deal in which European allies cover the cost, Dutch Defence Minister Ruben Brekelmans announced Monday. 'The Netherlands will deliver a €500 million package of US weapon systems (incl. Patriot parts and missiles),' Brekelmans wrote on social media, adding that it will be the 'first NATO ally' to do so. Under an agreement reached last month, several European countries committed to sending US-made weapons from their existing stockpiles to Ukraine and pledged to replenish them with the same systems. To enable rapid delivery, the US has promised a rapid backfill, though implementation may prove complex The packages include highly sophisticated air-defence Patriot systems, which cost around €1 billion per battery and €4 million per missile. 'Great to see the Netherlands taking the lead and funding the first package of US military equipment for Ukraine under NATO's Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) initiative,' NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte wrote on X following the announcement. Germany is also expected to deliver Patriot launchers in the coming days. Each package under the PURL initiative is estimated to be worth around €500 million and contains "equipment and munitions identified by Ukraine as operational priorities,' according to the Western alliance. Rutte, who also contacted all 32 NATO members urging them to contribute to the initiative, said he expects 'further significant announcements from other Allies soon.' Countries that expressed interest in early July include Germany, Finland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and Canada, Rutte said at the time. (de)
