Cooperation between Dnipropetrovsk Region and the Netherlands

Since the very beginning of the Russian aggression, the Kingdom of the Netherlands has resolutely and consistently supported Ukraine by providing political, financial, humanitarian and defense assistance and condemning Russia in the international arena. The Netherlands offers its help in many areas: countering Russian cyber sabotage, demining the liberated territories in Donbas, treatment and rehabilitation of the wounded, participation in the activities of the Crimean Platform.

The Netherlands has expelled 17 Russian diplomats from the country because, according to intelligence services, they were actually spies.

The Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is actively responding to the hostile actions of the Russian Federation, in particular, the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Mark Rutte, made a statement regarding partial mobilization in Russia. “Mobilization, calls for “referendums” – all this is a sign of panic. We’ve heard his rhetoric about nuclear weapons many times before. I would advise you to stay calm,” Rutte said.

At the official level, the Netherlands severed all existing economic ties with the Russian Federation and condemned the Kremlin’s military aggression against the Ukrainian people. Currently, there are no economic projects with the Russian side. In July 2022, Europe’s largest port in Rotterdam (Netherlands) announced the suspension of container transportation from and to the Russian Federation.

The Kingdom of the Netherlands has allocated €200 million to help Ukraine, the International Monetary Fund. The funds will be spent on the current needs of the authorities of Ukraine, on salaries for teachers, doctors, and civil servants.

Additionally, the Netherlands plans to provide Ukraine with communication assistance in the total amount of €80 million, of which::

  • €65 million to start the reconstruction of regions of Ukraine affected by Russian aggression. The package will include co-financing efforts by Dutch companies to restore infrastructure – bridges, dams and hospitals. The funds will also be used to support Ukrainian small and medium-sized businesses;
  • €1 million for the priority projects development for the facilities reconstruction in the cities of Kherson, Odesa and Mykolaiv;
  • €10 million for demining and elimination of explosive objects in the territories where hostilities took place;
  • €2.5 million through the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development to support macroeconomic reforms, public administration and ensuring the rule of law in Ukraine;
  • €2 million through the United Nations Population Fund to provide psychosocial support to victims of sexual and gender-based violence in Ukraine.

A field hospital has been deployed in Ukraine, which was transferred by decision of the government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is intended for the treatment and rehabilitation of wounded soldiers and temporarily displaced persons who have left their homes. The expanded hospital can operate without electricity on a diesel generator. It is also provided with the necessary supplies of medicines and consumables for a year of operation at full load..

Civil initiatives of the Netherlands made an important contribution to military aid to Ukraine. Zeilen van Vrijheid (Sails of Freedom) is one of the organizations that collects funds for Ukraine. Thanks to their efforts, as of the beginning of September 2022, 88 ambulances, 2 Unimog trucks, 1 fire truck and about 2,000 bicycles have already been sent to Ukraine.

The Ukrainian diaspora in the Netherlands handed over medical equipment to the Main Military Clinical Hospital of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine. The medical facility received equipment for operating rooms and new wheelchairs.

As of today, more than 64,000 Ukrainians who arrived after February 24 are officially registered in the country. Our compatriots in the Netherlands can count on financial assistance, access to medical and educational services, and employment opportunities.

The Netherlands was one of the first European countries to officially announce its readiness to provide significant military aid to Ukraine even as Russia began to build up its armed forces on the border. A few days after the Russian invasion began, the Netherlands quickly announced military aid, which included 50 FIM-92 Stinger MANPADS launchers with 200 missiles and 50 Panzerfaust 3 anti-tank guns with 400 missiles. The flow of military aid to Ukraine from the Kingdom of the Netherlands continues continuously. Military assistance included reconnaissance UAVs, 2 autonomous SeaFox mine-seeking underwater vehicles, 5 AN/TPQ-36 Firefinder counter-battery radars, and even AGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship missiles, as well as heavy weapons including 8 PzH 2000 self-propelled guns and an unknown number of armored personnel carriers YPR-765 and many different military equipment.

Since the beginning of the full-scale war, the Netherlands has provided weapons, ammunition and equipment with a total value of more than €210 million to support Ukraine.

The Kingdom of the Netherlands has also joined the program of training Ukrainian military personnel in Great Britain. 90 Dutch instructors take part in basic training for Ukrainian military personnel in Britain.

The Netherlands is one of the prominent investment and trade partners of the Dnipropetrovsk region. 23 companies with Dutch investments operate on the territory of our region, which invested $2,107.3 million in the region’s economy. The country ranks second among investor countries in the Dnipropetrovsk region.

According to the results of 2021, the export volume of goods from the Dnipropetrovsk region increased by 2.4 times ($231.16 million), which was 10.2% of the volume of Ukraine to the Netherlands. Among the goods that are in the greatest demand among Dutch consumers are ferrous metals and their products, sunflower oil, packaging containers, etc.

Export operations were carried out by 58 enterprises from the Dnipropetrovsk region.

The main exporting companies are enterprises of the mining and metallurgical complex, engineering and processing industry.

TOP-5 exporting companies (ranking by the volume of export products):

Import of goods from the Netherlands to the Dnipropetrovsk region amounted to $71.65 million (7.1% of Ukraine’s imports from the Netherlands) and increased by 28.8% compared to 2020. Dnipropetrovsk region bought the most machines and equipment, cocoa, chocolate, cheeses, medicines and other things.

Import operations were carried out by 249 importer enterprises.

TOP-5 importing enterprises (ranking by the volume of imported products):

Among the promising directions for export to the Netherlands are metallurgical products, equipment for railway locomotives, space vehicles, organic products of the agricultural sector, and light industry products made of natural materials.