Netherlands to send F-35 jets to Poland for NATO mission supporting Ukraine

The Netherlands will deploy F-35 fighter jets to Poland this autumn as part of NATO’s Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine (NSATU) mission, Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans informed parliament on July 7.

Brekelmans said in a letter to the House of Representatives that the deployment aims to protect NATO’s logistics hub for Ukraine-related support and training efforts, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

"With this letter, I am informing you of the deployment of Dutch air defence capabilities to safeguard the NATO logistics centre supporting Ukraine in terms of security and training (NSATU) in Poland... The Netherlands has committed to deploying F-35s between 1 September and 1 December 2025," the minister wrote.

He added that the presence of the fighter jets in Poland "contributes to the military-strategic objective of deterring Russia and defending the NATO treaty area."

The NSATU mission, established at the NATO Summit in Washington in July 2024, is headquartered in Wiesbaden, Germany, with logistics hubs in Poland and Romania. It coordinates the delivery of military aid, including weapons, ammunition, and training for Ukrainian forces, with approximately 700 personnel from NATO allies involved.

The mission is designed to streamline support for Ukraine while ensuring NATO remains a defensive alliance, not a direct party to the conflict. The Netherlands’ contribution underscores its commitment to NATO’s eastern flank, particularly as Russian provocations, such as frequent flyovers by Su-24 bombers and reactivated Soviet-era bases near the Baltic Sea, have intensified regional tensions.

By Khagan Isayev