The Netherlands has agreed to ship 200 Stinger air defence missiles to Ukraine as quickly as it can, following a request by the Ukrainian government, the cabinet has agreed.

‘There was a careful but, given the circumstances, shortened check to make sure this meets weapons exports criteria,’ foreign minister Wopke Hoekstra and defence minister Kasja Ollongren said in a briefing to MPs.

The Stinger can be used against planes and helicopters at a range of up to five kilometres. The Dutch army has two types – a portable one fired from the shoulder and once which can be mounted on an armoured vehicle.

Last week ministers agreed to a request to provide sniper rifles, ammunition and protective gear such as helmets and mine detection systems.  Some of that was shipped on Saturday morning, ministers said.