First support package for Ukraine for 2024: €102 million in winter assistance
The Netherlands has set aside €102 million for the first support package for Ukraine of 2024. This amount is part of over €2 billion that the Dutch government has earmarked for support for Ukraine over the coming year.
€102 million for humanitarian aid and pressing needs
For the first four months of 2024 the government has reserved €102 million to help Ukraine get through the winter and prepare for spring. During his visit to Ukraine on 15 December, Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Geoffrey van Leeuwen detailed how the money will be allocated.
The ongoing war is taking an increasingly heavy toll on Ukraine’s society and economy, and the country is as much in need of help as ever. This latest support package focuses on the most pressing needs:
- €15 million for humanitarian assistance through the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA);
- €15 million for clearing mines from agricultural land and areas liberated from Russian control;
- €62 million to help the Ukrainian government provide basic services, repair critical infrastructure and roll out reforms under the Special Program for Ukraine and Moldova Recovery (SPUR), a facility of the World Bank’s International Development Association;
- €10 million for the delivery of materials for the electricity grid.
Development minister Geoffrey van Leeuwen visits Ukraine
Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Geoffrey van Leeuwen was in Kyiv on 15 December for a visit to a power station and to discuss reconstruction and emphasise the Netherlands’ continuing support for Ukraine.
Mr Van Leeuwen said, ‘Arrived in Kyiv, where I emphasised the crucial importance for Ukraine to stand firm against Russian aggression, especially now that winter has arrived. The Netherlands is assisting with humanitarian aid and support for the recovery of critical infrastructure.
Ensuring the continuity of key sectors, including energy infrastructure, is part of our efforts to aid Ukrainians as they face the winter ahead.’
More than €2 billion in support in 2024
Other Dutch funding in 2024 will consist of €2 billion in military support, a contribution of €295 million to the European Peace Facility (EPF), €89 million to help combat impunity and €3 million for non-military cyber support.