Ukraine seeks the Netherlands’ backing to expand the Drone Line initiative

Ukraine and the Netherlands intend to secure additional resources to expand further the Drone Line initiative in support of Defence Forces units.

At a meeting with the Netherlands’ Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, Dilan Yeşilgöz-Zegerius, Ukraine’s Minister of Defence, Mykhailo Fedorov, characterised the Drone Line as one of the most effective initiatives for strengthening the capabilities of Ukraine’s military.

Over 1,000 crews are currently operating under the project. In January–February, they eliminated every third russian service member on the front line.

According to Mykhailo Fedorov, in January russian losses surpassed the number of newly mobilised russian troops. In certain areas of the front, enemy losses reached up to 170 personnel per square kilometre of territorial advance.

The Minister of Defence also called on partners to support other drone projects, in particular to ensure a baseline level of UAV capability for brigades.

According to him, integrating the Drone Line initiative with the baseline brigade support programme could become a game-changer on the front and enable Ukraine to inflict up to 50,000 enemy losses per month, as outlined in Ukraine’s War Plan.

Mykhailo Fedorov also briefed the Dutch side on other elements of Ukraine’s War Plan, its key objectives and overall vision.

The parties discussed areas of cooperation aimed at developing a mutually beneficial partnership, ensuring technological superiority and limiting russia’s resources. In particular, the discussions addressed:

• support for the F-16 programme;
• countermeasures against russia’s shadow fleet;
• enhancement of radar coverage capabilities;
• supply of extended-range artillery ammunition.

The Minister of Defence of Ukraine expressed gratitude to the Netherlands for its leadership and sustained support. He further emphasised the significance of the decision to supply PAC-3 missiles, announced at the Ramstein-format meeting, and stressed the importance of sustained funding for the PURL programme.

The delegations also agreed to proceed with efforts to launch a European initiative focused on identifying solutions to address ballistic threats.

At the same time, Ukraine stands ready to grant the Netherlands access to its own innovative defence technologies and solutions. The parties agreed to work on developing mechanisms to ensure ongoing data sharing between the two countries.