On 28 February 2026, the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the Netherlands, Dilan Yeşilgöz-Zegerius and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands Tom Berendsen paid their first foreign visit to Ukraine.

During the visit, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a meeting with the newly appointed Dutch officials.

During the talks, the President of Ukraine expressed gratitude for the extensive support provided by the Netherlands, particularly for defence assitance. The President and the Dutch officials discussed opportunities to strengthen Ukraine’s air defence. Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized the importance of continuing the implementation of the PURL programme, to which the Netherlands were the first to contribute last year.

Dilan Yeşilgöz-Zegerius stressed that the Government of the Netherlands will continue to support Ukraine in every possible way. The Minister noted that Ukraine’s struggle for independence is a shared struggle, as Ukrainians are defending not only their own country but also the whole of Europe.

“You will continue to have our support - you can count on us. We are not only here to demonstrate our support, but also to hear from you what more we can do, what is needed, what the situation is, and where we can use our influence and support to help you,” Tom Berendsen added.

Separate meetings also took place between the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Andrii Sybiha and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands Tom Berendsen, as well as between the Minister of Defence of Ukraine Mykhailo Fedorov and the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the Netherlands Dilan Yeşilgöz-Zegerius.