Netherlands will provide weapons to protect Polish airspace - Dutch PM
The Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte has pledged that his country will provide weapons to protect the air space of Poland and other Nato allies.
Rutte met with Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki in Warsaw, on Monday.
Following the meeting, Rutte told a joint press conference with Morawiecki that Poland, as Ukraine's neighbour, "has a special role to play."
"Poland is the first place of refuge for all those who are fleeing the war," he said.
Rutte noted that Poland was experiencing difficult times, "but it is not alone".
"As partners in the European Union and in the North Atlantic Alliance, we will stand shoulder to shoulder with Poland... In the case of Ukraine, we will play our part; we will accept refugees and provide weapons to protect the air space of Poland and other allies," he announced.
Rutte also said that, in the current situation, countries must help each other, in financial terms as well. He admitted that the influx of refugees was a heavy burden on the Polish budget and said that he had offered Morawiecki financial support to deal with this issue.
"It is not only about providing shelter to refugees, but also about integrating them in the education and health care systems, which, of course, carries certain costs," he said.
