11 November 2026
Last month, more than 500 members of the Royal Netherlands Armed Forces took part in specialised practical training led by Ukrainian troops to learn from their experience of modern warfare.
Dutch Minister of Defence Dilan Yeşilgöz-Zegerius stated this during her speech at the European Defence Innovation Forum 2026, Militarnyi’s correspondent reports.
According to her, Dutch troops took part in a specialised workshop where they studied in detail how the Ukrainian Armed Forces analyse developments on the frontline and turn battlefield experience into ready-to-use tactical and technical solutions within just a few days.
The defence agency’s head stressed that the balance between Ukraine and its Western partners in understanding modern warfare has fundamentally shifted.
“There is no country in the world today with greater knowledge of modern warfare than Ukraine. It is no longer simply a country seeking assistance. In fact, the roles are reversing: today, we are knocking on Ukraine’s door, asking it to teach us and establish cooperation,” the minister stressed.
Dilan Yeşilgöz-Zegerius, Dutch Minister of Defence, at the European Defence Innovation Forum 2026. Photo credits: Militarnyi
“Industry Right in the Trenches” and Nexus Software
It is not only the Dutch military that is learning from Ukraine’s experience, but also the country’s defence industry. Dutch technology companies and defence-tech startups have been given the opportunity to test and refine their systems in real combat conditions, receiving real-time feedback from the frontline.
Dilan Yeşilgöz-Zegerius cited Dutch technology company Intelic and its Nexus software suite as a concrete example of such cooperation:
“A good example is the innovative Nexus software application. It helps units integrate drones, radar systems and other sensors so that they can work together. In this way, Dutch innovations help protect Ukrainian troops, while our own armed forces are learning to use this technology in a variety of scenarios,” the minister stressed.
She also stressed that Western military support is not charity and does not automatically grant the right to appropriate military technologies. Cooperation must be based on equality and mutual benefit.
Many things have changed from three or four years ago and some have done so drastically.
The smart countries will follow the lead of the Netherlands, so I don’t expect the US to show up.