Two weeks ago, Defence sent more than 60 Toyota Hilux pick-up trucks to Ukraine, where they will be deployed by the Ukrainian armed forces' Unmanned Systems Force Command.
This unit operates drones and is of great importance in the fight against Russia.
Drone agreement between the Netherlands and Latvia provides more testing options
Last week, Netherlands Minister of Defence Dilan Yeşilgöz-Zegerius and Latvian Prime Minister Evika Siliņa signed an agreement in the Latvian capital Riga that will make it possible for the Netherlands to test drones at the Selonia military training area in Latvia. This agreement further strengthens the already close cooperation with the Baltic state in the area of drones.
Deployment of Dutch Patriot air defence systems to Poland extended
The Netherlands armed forces involvement in securing the logistics hub for military support to Ukraine has been extended. The Dutch contribution to the air defence of the Poland-based centre was scheduled to end in early June, but the deployment of Dutch Patriot systems has been extended by up to six months. Netherlands Minister of Defence Dilan Yeşilgöz-Zegerius informed the House of Representatives accordingly in a letter last week.
Shoulder to shoulder – IGNC to act as HQ in Estonia and Latvia
1 German-Netherlands Corps (1GNC) has been assigned the role of tactical NATO headquarters from mid-2026 onwards. 1GNC will consequently assume a directive role on NATO’s eastern flank, more specifically in Estonia and Latvia. The deployment of an additional tactical headquarters in the region will strengthen NATO cohesion and contribute to deterring Russia.