The Netherlands has finally integrated its combat brigades into the German army.

Allies are pooling their military forces amid heightened security threats in the region following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

This event was marked by the ceremony of official integration of the 13th Light Brigade of the Netherlands into the structure of the 10th Panzer Division of the German Army.

The ceremony took place on Thursday, March 30, in Veitshöchheim in Bavaria.

“Thanks to this cooperation, we strengthen our combat power and increase the ability to act together. This contributes to the strengthening of NATO and the strengthening of the EU,” Kajsa Ollongren, Minister of Defense of the Netherlands said.

The ground forces of the Netherlands have a total of three combat brigades, two of which were integrated into the structure of the German army earlier.

The 13th Light Brigade of the Netherlands Army, which is based in Oirschot and has 3,000 soldiers, will now come under the command of the Bundeswehr.

With this integration, a joint Dutch-German ground force of around 50,000 troops is formed, more than 8,000 of which will be from the Netherlands.

As previously reported, the merger was part of a confidential agreement between the armed forces of the two countries, concluded on November 30 last year at a meeting in Dresden. The document was signed by the commander of the armed forces of the Netherlands and his German counterpart.

This will mean the closest partnership between the two countries within NATO. In addition, the current changes are part of a program of large-scale restructuring of the German army, which should come into force in April.

The Ministry of Defense of the Netherlands notes that integration with the German army will bring several advantages. In particular, it becomes easier to conduct joint military exercises, and it is also possible to jointly invest in logistical support. In addition, the countries are also considering joint purchases of weapons and coordination of military decisions.

The integration of the armed forces of the two countries will not affect the sovereignty of the Dutch army, Ollongren said in a February letter to the country’s parliament. The governments of Germany and the Netherlands will be able to make independent decisions about the deployment of their armed forces, she said.