Key Points and Summary – The Netherlands announced on Monday, July 7, that it will deploy its F-35 stealth fighters to Poland from September to December to protect NATO airspace and secure the transit of military equipment to Ukraine.
-The Dutch jets will conduct the joint air policing mission with F-35s from the Norwegian Air Force.
-The deployment, requested by NATO’s Supreme Headquarters, comes as the US signals a resumption of arms shipments to Kyiv, including potentially more Patriot missile systems.
-This move by the Netherlands and Norway underscores a growing European effort to bolster Ukraine’s defenses amid faltering US-Russia peace talks.
The Netherlands Deploys F-35 Stealth Jets to Poland
The Dutch Ministry of Defense announced on Monday, July 7, it will deploy its F-35 fighter jets to Poland as part of an operation to protect military equipment being sent by NATO countries to Ukraine. In a statement, the Dutch military confirmed that the fighter jets will conduct a joint operation with the Norwegian Air Force, which will also utilize F-35s, to monitor NATO airspace over Europe from September 1 to December 1.
“The Netherlands is deploying the F-35s at the request of the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE). This is NATO’s central command centre in Europe. NATO controls the fighter planes,” the statement explains.
Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans described the planned operation as “essential,” insisting that NATO military hardware must arrive safely in Ukraine.
Brekelmans said the American F-35s are among the European country’s “most advanced” hardware.
“Once again, we do this with our most advanced capabilities. By deploying these Dutch F-35s to monitor the airspace over Eastern Europe, we are protecting military equipment destined for Ukraine,” he said, adding that the planes will allow its military to “respond quickly” to violations of NATO airspace.
Norway also confirmed last week that its own F-35 fighter jets would be deployed specifically to secure the Rzeszow Airport in Poland, which has become a crucial transport hub for the delivery of NATO military hardware to Ukraine.
What Hardware Is On the Way?
The announcements reflect pessimism among European leaders and even Washington that a ceasefire or peace deal between Ukraine and Russia is unlikely to come any time soon. On Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump reiterated his disappointment in the lack of progress made with Moscow, telling reporters, “I’m not happy with President Putin at all.”
The president confirmed that his administration is preparing to send defensive weapons to Ukraine – likely Patriot missile systems or ammunition.
Trump aides are set to discuss the details of shipping new weapons to Ukraine this week, including Patriot missiles. It follows a brief pause in shipments to Ukraine, which included Patriots – the only system that can intercept Russian hypersonic missiles. Patriots have proven exceptionally capable of intercepting Russian Kh-47M2 Kinzhal ballistic missiles.
Ukraine is also in the process of receiving bespoke “Gravehawk” air-defense systems developed by Britain and Denmark. Britain’s Ministry of Defense confirmed in February that two Gravehawk units had already been shipped to Ukraine and are now in active use, with 15 more scheduled throughout the rest of this year.
About the Author:
Jack Buckby is a British author, counter-extremism researcher, and journalist based in New York. Reporting on the U.K., Europe, and the U.S., he works to analyze and understand left-wing and right-wing radicalization, and reports on Western governments’ approaches to the pressing issues of today. His books and research papers explore these themes and propose pragmatic solutions to our increasingly polarized society. His latest book is The Truth Teller: RFK Jr. and the Case for a Post-Partisan Presidency.
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