Key Developments
On 28 September 2026, the Netherlands Ministry of Defence said it would provide €10 million to modernize two military training centres in Ukraine, supporting the training of Ukrainian soldiers through the EU Military Assistance Mission Ukraine.
Key Statistics
- €10 million Dutch contribution to modernize 2 Ukrainian military training centres, according to the Netherlands Ministry of Defence
- Nearly 100,000 Ukrainian military personnel trained through the EU Military Assistance Mission Ukraine, according to the Netherlands Ministry of Defence
- Historical: €28.9 billion planned Dutch defence budget for 2027, according to the Netherlands Ministry of Defence
- Historical: €3 billion in Dutch military support to Ukraine included in the 2027 defence budget, according to the Netherlands Ministry of Defence
- Historical: more than 100,000 personnel targeted for the Dutch armed forces by 2030, according to the Netherlands Ministry of Defence
Main Body
On 28 September 2026, the Netherlands Ministry of Defence said the Netherlands would provide €10 million to help modernize two military training centres in Ukraine. The ministry said Defence Minister Dilan Yeşilgöz-Zegerius announced the contribution during an EU defence ministers meeting in Brussels.
The Netherlands Ministry of Defence said the funding was intended to improve training conditions for Ukrainian troops in a high-technology setting. The ministry linked the contribution to the EU Military Assistance Mission Ukraine, which it said had already trained nearly 100,000 Ukrainian military personnel.
The move followed wider Dutch budget planning for defence and Ukraine support. On 15 September 2026, the Netherlands Ministry of Defence said the 2027 defence budget was set at €28.9 billion, including €3 billion for military support to Ukraine, and outlined plans to grow the Dutch armed forces to more than 100,000 personnel by 2030.
The contribution mattered because it directed Dutch funding toward Ukraine’s ability to generate trained forces inside the country, rather than only providing equipment. According to the Netherlands Ministry of Defence, the decision formed part of continued support for Ukraine as the ministry described increasing Russian threats.
