All the recent military aid from the US, Germany and the Netherlands to Ukraine

27 May 202510 months babelfish

From the delivery of the last Dutch F-16s to the announcement by the German Chancellor that “there are no longer any range limits for the weapons supplied to Ukraine”: an update on military aid to Kiev.

As Russia's attack on Ukraine continues, Kiev must secure continued military aid.

Yesterday, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced that Berlin has joined the United States, the United Kingdom and France in lifting restrictions on the range of weapons supplied to Kiev. Also yesterday, the last Dutch F-16s destined for Ukraine left the Netherlands. The country has donated a total of 24 American-made, fourth-generation fighters to Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is also expected at the next NATO summit scheduled for June 24-25 in the Netherlands. The summit comes as the United States is scaling back its traditional role as guarantor of European security: while reaffirming its commitment to the Alliance, US defense officials have announced major changes in troop rotations for the future.

Meanwhile, Trump is also reducing support for Ukraine, apparently abandoning the goal of a ceasefire but not that of normalizing relations with Russia. Meanwhile, European leaders are speeding up to develop a plan to increase pressure on Moscow. According to the US newspaper The New York Times, Zelensky's insistence on obtaining Kiev's membership in NATO could fuel tensions during the summit scheduled for next month.

The NYT also recalls that for over a thousand days, US President Biden has maintained regular military support to Ukraine, sending hundreds of howitzers with millions of shells to fire, tens of thousands of remote-controlled artillery rockets and advanced air defense missile systems to help keep the Russian invaders at bay. What will happen now?

All the details.

F-16s DELIVERED TO KIEV FROM THE NETHERLANDS

The Netherlands has completed the transfer of 24 F-16 fighters to Ukraine under the deal signed by the coalition aviation led by the Netherlands, Denmark and Belgium. This was announced yesterday by Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans. “We will send the last of the promised F-16s. This means that all 24 aircraft will soon be in Ukraine,” Brekelmans said.

The delivery is an important milestone in Western military support for Kiev, which received its first fighters in August 2024, immediately after the final approval for export. Kiev has already lost at least one aircraft of this model on August 26 .

In addition, President Zelensky confirmed the arrival of additional F-16s from Denmark (19 to be precise), while Belgium and other partners have pledged to provide training and technical support. Kiev is also expected to receive 30 from Belgium and at least six from Norway.

ANNOUNCEMENT BY CHANCELLOR MERZ

Also yesterday, German Chancellor Merz said that “there are no longer any range limits for the weapons supplied to Ukraine” by Germany, the United States, the United Kingdom and France. “There are no longer any limits imposed on the weapons supplied to Ukraine. Not by the British, not by the French, not by us. Not even by the Americans. Ukraine can now also defend itself, for example, by attacking military positions in Russia. A country that can only counter an aggressor within its own territory is not defending itself adequately. And this defense of Ukraine now also takes place against military infrastructure on Russian territory,” Merz said.

Although Merz has decided not to disclose arms deliveries since taking office – a position in line with French President Emmanuel Macron's approach of “strategic ambiguity” – he has previously said he would welcome deliveries of Taurus missiles to Kiev, as long as they are coordinated with European allies, the Financial Times reports.

This would therefore be a change of pace compared to his predecessor Scholz who repeatedly rejected requests from Kiev and its allies to supply the Ukrainian armed forces with German Taurus missiles.

GERMAN TAURUS COMING TO KIEV?

Last April, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said that Germany would send 100,000 artillery shells, 25 infantry fighting vehicles, 15 tanks, 100 ground surveillance radars and 120 portable air defense systems. Berlin would also send Kiev four Iris-T air defense systems with 300 missiles.

But Ukraine continued to press Berlin to send Taurus weapons systems, missiles with a range of 500 kilometers, capable of hitting Russian military infrastructure far behind the front lines.

The systems are among the most modern in use by the German Army. Their range is superior to that of the Storm Shadow and Scalp supplied by the United Kingdom and France and the Atacm supplied by the United States.

Merz did not specify whether Germany had supplied Taurus long-range missiles, as it had promised to do. France and Germany have agreed to maintain strategic ambiguity vis-à-vis Moscow and no longer communicate about their arms supplies to Ukraine. But Merz's statements suggest that the Taurus are part of Germany's equipment for "long-range strikes against military targets in the rear," the FT notes.

THE IMPORTANCE OF AMERICAN MILITARY AID FOR UKRAINE

According to a Telegraph report, Ukraine is well funded so far. This is largely due to the Biden administration, which has allocated a total of approximately $66.9 billion in aid to Ukraine in 2024 alone, including military, financial and humanitarian assistance.

But Kiev cannot count on such a godsend once the funds run out.

Experts warn that there are some types of equipment that the country could not replace if it went it alone without US support, such as some fighter jets. Losing equipment like this is a greater concern for Kiev than running out of money, the British newspaper comments.

This is a machine translation from Italian language of a post published on Start Magazine at the URL https://www.startmag.it/spazio-e-difesa/tutti-i-recenti-aiuti-militari-da-usa-germania-e-non-solo-ucraina/ on Tue, 27 May 2025 13:07:48 +0000.