AMSTERDAM/BRUSSELS (Reuters) -The Netherlands said on Monday it will contribute 500 million euros ($578 million) to purchase U.S. military equipment for Ukraine, becoming the first NATO country to contribute to a new mechanism to supply Kyiv with American weapons.

The Netherlands will be the first contributor to NATO's new "Priority Ukraine Requirements List" (PURL) financing mechanism for Ukraine weapons with a 500 million euros ($578 million) payment, the Dutch defence minister said on Monday.

The Kremlin warned it will take "military‑technical" steps in response to restore what it calls a strategic balance with the West.

The first official statement from the Kremlin about Trump’s move seemed to distance Russian President Vladimir Putin from Dmitry Medvedev’s inflammatory comments.

Russia has formerly pulled out of a treaty prohibiting the deployment of short and medium-range nuclear missiles, warning the West to “expect further steps”.