The Prime Minister of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Rob Jetten, visited Ukraine on March 8, 2026. This official visit of the newly appointed Dutch Prime Minister to Ukraine, underlined the high level of dialogue and cooperation between the two countries. It is a clear and powerful signal of the Dutch sustained political commitment and unwavering solidarity with Ukraine at a critical juncture of its struggle against Russia`s unprovoked and unjustified war of aggression.
Following their meeting, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Prime Minister Rob Jetten:
DEFENCE, SECURITY, RESTORING COMPREHENSIVE, JUST and LASTING PEACE
- strongly condemned Russia’s latest large-scale missile and drone attacks against Ukrainian cities and critical infrastructure, including the deadly strike on Kharkiv. They stressed the urgent need to further strengthen Ukraine’s air defence, including through accelerated delivery of missiles, spare parts and other critical systems to protect civilians, energy facilities and transport infrastructure;
- reaffirmed their shared resolve to confront Russia’s ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine. The Prime Minister reiterated the Netherlands’ full and consistent support for Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders, including territorial sea;
- agreed that Ukraine’s security is inseparable from the security of Europe as a whole, emphasizing that stability on the European continent cannot be achieved without ensuring Ukraine’s lasting security and resilience;
- outlined practical steps aimed at advancing efforts toward restoring a comprehensive, just and lasting peace for Ukraine, in full compliance with international law, including the principles of the UN Charter. In this context, the Netherlands is an active participant in the Coalition of the Willing and emphasizes the need for robust security guarantees for Ukraine, complementing other bilateral and multilateral arrangements designed to prevent future Russian aggression and ensure comprehensive, just and lasting peace;
- in accordance with the Agreement on Security Cooperation between Ukraine and the Netherlands signed on March 1, 2024, the Dutch side reaffirms that the new cabinet continues to provide comprehensive long-term assistance to Ukraine. This includes sustained political support at the international level, multi-year military assistance to strengthen Ukraine’s defence capabilities as well as non-military assistance, and moral and diplomatic support in international fora;
- Ukraine expresses its deep appreciation for the Dutch leadership within the PURL initiative, highlighting that the Netherlands was the first country to make a financial contribution and to undertake overall commitments amounting to EUR 750 million for the joint procurement of U.S. weapons. This timely and decisive step significantly enhanced Ukraine’s defensive capacity and demonstrated the Netherlands’ proactive role in mobilizing collective support mechanisms. Ensuring sufficient funding for the PURL throughout 2026 is vital for strengthening Ukraine’s resilience, particularly its air defence, in the face of Russia’s relentless attacks on critical and civilian infrastructure;
- recognizing the critical role of modern technologies on the battlefield, both sides reaffirmed their intention to expand cooperation between their respective defence industries, including through joint production projects under the “Build with Ukraine” initiative. Both parties underlined their commitment to making the co-production initiative successful and are working diligently to achieve that outcome.
ENERGY ASSISTANCE, RECOVERY
- condemned Russia’s unacceptable and systemic deliberate attacks against Ukraine’s critical civilian infrastructure, in particular its energy facilities, which endanger civilians and undermine the country’s economic and social stability. The Ukrainian side expressed sincere gratitude to the Netherlands for its substantial assistance – a total amount of EUR 489 million for energy support since the start of the Russian Federation’s full-scale military invasion of Ukraine – which aims to support and strengthen Ukraine’s energy sector, as well as for its vital contribution towards ensuring the uninterrupted humanitarian operations of the UN in the most affected frontline regions. The Netherlands continues its energy support to Ukraine for the protection, restoration and resilience of Ukraine’s energy system;
- highlighted the importance of recovery and reconstruction and support to the private sector to sustain the Ukrainian economy during wartime and after comprehensive, just and lasting peace has been reached. As an active member of the G7+ Ukraine Donor Platform, the Netherlands is committed to continuing its non-military support. The Ukraine Recovery Conference in Gdansk on 25-26 June will be an important moment for stocktaking and bringing this agenda forward;
- welcomed the preparation of the Fifth Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment (RDNA5), conducted jointly by the Government of Ukraine, the World Bank, the European Commission, and the United Nations, which estimates that direct damage to Ukraine’s buildings and infrastructure has reached approximately USD 195 billion as of 31 December 2025, while recovery and reconstruction needs amount to nearly USD 588 billion over the next decade;
- underlined the critical importance of the continued engagement and contribution of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Ukraine’s recovery and reconstruction efforts.
ACCOUNTABILITY
- referred to the diplomatic conference held in The Hague on December 16, 2025, during which the Convention on the Establishment of the International Claims Commission for Ukraine was signed by 35 States and the EU, including Ukraine and the Netherlands. The leaders underscored the importance of this instrument as a key pillar of the broader compensation mechanism for Ukraine and agreed to coordinate further efforts to ensure its swift entry into force;
- stressing that ensuring full accountability of the Russian Federation for the crime of aggression and other international crimes remains essential for restoring justice, inter alia, through establishing the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine, the leaders agreed to work together as well as with the Council of Europe and other partners, to effectuate its launch as soon as possible. To this end, Ukraine and the Netherlands will promote and call upon the swift entry into force of the Enlarged Partial Agreement (EPA) on the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine as a matter of priority.
EUROPEAN AND EUROATLANTIC INTEGRATION
- reaffirmed their shared vision of Ukraine’s future membership in the European Union and NATO, acknowledged the significant reform progress achieved despite the ongoing Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, as well as the importance of the continued advancement of Ukraine’s reform agenda;
- highlighting their close coordination in this regard, both sides expressed expectation of a successful second Lviv Conference to be held in March 2026 in the Netherlands, which will serve as an important platform for deepening intergovernmental cooperation and supporting Ukraine’s reconstruction and European integration.
RETURN OF UKRAINIAN CHILDREN
- expressed deep concern over the unlawful deportation and forced transfer of thousands of Ukrainian children by Russia. Ukraine expressed appreciation for the Netherlands’ decision of February 19, 2026, to allocate an additional EUR 2 million in support of efforts aimed at locating, and reunifying Ukrainian children, as well as, providing psychosocial support to those children who are able to return. Ukraine and the Netherlands will continue close cooperation, including within the framework of the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children, to ensure their safe repatriation, rehabilitation and reintegration.
SANCTIONS
- emphasized the necessity of maintaining and intensifying pressure on Russia in light of its demonstrative unwillingness to reach diplomatic agreement aimed at restoring a comprehensive, just and lasting peace and its continued war of aggression against Ukraine. Ukraine and the Netherlands underscore the importance of coordinated sanctions policy and reaffirmed their shared understanding of the need to counter Russia’s so-called shadow fleet, which is used to circumvent sanctions and sustain revenues from energy exports. Both sides recognized that consistent and collective measures remain essential to limit Russia’s capacity to finance its war of aggression against Ukraine;
- recalled that the EU and G7 agreed that Russia’s sovereign assets in their jurisdictions will remain immobilized until Russia ceases its war of aggression against Ukraine and pays for the damage caused to Ukraine by its war.
ECONOMIC COOPERATION
- welcomed the expansion of bilateral trade and investment ties and noted the Netherlands’ continued support for recovery initiatives, including through cooperation with international financial institutions such as the World Bank in Ukraine. Confirmed Netherlands’ businesses are invited to actively participate in Ukraine’s reconstruction and modernization efforts. Agreed to further strengthen economic cooperation and create conditions for sustainable private sector engagement in Ukraine. The leaders stressed the vital role of private sector engagement in rebuilding critical infrastructure, including energy facilities, schools, healthcare institutions and rehabilitation services;
- welcomed the approval of a new four year IMF Extended Fund Facility arrangement for Ukraine and underscored the importance of sustained, predictable, and long-term financial assistance to Ukraine from the European Union and partner countries, including through international financial institutions such as the World Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and the European Investment Bank, in support of Ukraine’s macroeconomic stability, recovery, and reconstruction.
Prime Minister Jetten expressed his sincere gratitude for the warm welcome and hospitality extended to him and conveyed his deep respect for the courage and resilience demonstrated by the Ukrainian people. He congratulated President Zelenskyy with the honour of receiving, on behalf of the Ukrainian people, the Four Freedoms Award. President Zelenskyy, in turn, thanked Prime Minister Jetten for his visit and for the Dutch consistent solidarity with Ukraine during one of the most challenging periods in its modern history.
