According to the head of the defense department, there are already three countries in this coalition. Plus, the Ukrainian fleet is being built in Turkey.
Ukraine will develop its fleet and now 3 countries have actually joined the ship coalition: Ukraine, Great Britain, the Netherlands. This was announced today, March 14, by the Minister of Defense of Ukraine Oleksiy Reznikov.
The Minister made this statement during a meeting with the Minister of Defense of the Netherlands, Kaisa Ollongren. Reznikov emphasized that it is no coincidence that the meeting is taking place in the south of Ukraine.
Before the information about the coalition appeared, the minister published a video with a corresponding hint.
Ollongren said that the Netherlands will transfer 2 Alkmaar minesweepers to Ukraine in 2025 to protect shipping routes in the Black Sea. The Ukrainian minister summed up that after the decision of the Netherlands, we can say that a naval coalition is being formed.
“There are already at least 3 countries in this coalition. The maritime state of Ukraine will develop its own fleet. Plus, we are building the Ukrainian fleet in Turkey. Now we can safely say that a naval coalition has been formed,” he said.
Reznikov also recalled that the UK had already transferred two such minesweepers to Ukraine: “They already have two Ukrainian crews and the Ukrainian flag is raised, that is, today the Ukrainian fleet has two minesweepers from Britain.”
In addition, Ukraine has an agreement with Turkey on the construction of several Ada-type corvettes for the Ukrainian Navy. In the autumn of 2022, the first of the Turkish corvettes “Hetman Ivan Mazepa” was launched. In 2023, another such corvette will be laid in Turkey.
Recall that on March 8, Reznikov said that he expects to receive a million shells of 155 mm caliber from partners as soon as possible. In addition to artillery ammunition, there is a need for armored vehicles and air defense.
Today, March 14, a decision was made to increase the financial ceiling of the European Peace Fund (EPF), from which funds are allocated for arming Ukraine – 7.979 billion euros until 2027.
London and Paris are keen to provide the Ukrainian Armed Forces with the extra support they need to have a “decisive advantage on the battlefield.” French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak discussed the issue at a joint meeting on March 10.
It is also known that US President Joe Biden proposed to adopt a record defense budget for the country. It also provides for assistance to Ukraine. The Pentagon will get to develop new weapons in greater numbers.
