Rutte to visit Macron next; Says Russia sanctions must not jeopardize energy supply

Prime Minister Mark Rutte will go to Paris on Wednesday with five Ministers to discuss the situation in Ukraine with a French Cabinet delegation. After meeting with his British and Canadian counterparts in London on Monday, Rutte said that sanctions against Russia in oil and gas must not lead to unmanageable risks to the security of supply. Foreign Affairs Minister Wopke Hoekstra visited the Baltic States on Monday and will be visiting Dutch soldiers in Lithuania today.

The meeting of the Dutch and French Cabinets will focus on the Russian invasion of Ukraine and cooperation in humanitarian aid and the reception of asylum seekers. But they'll also discuss Franco-Dutch collaboration in areas like foreign affairs, defense, climate and energy, the economy, and justice. 

Besides Rutte, the Dutch delegation consists of Ministers Sigrid Kaag of Finance, Wopke Hoekstra of Foreign Affairs, Dilan Yeşilgöz-Zegerius of Justice and Security, Kajsa Ollongren of Defense, and Rob Jetten of Climate and Energy. On the French side are President Emmanuel Macron and Ministers Bruno Le Maire of Economy, Jean-Yves le Drian and State Secretary Clement Beaune of Europe and Foreign affairs, Gerald Darmanin of Interior, and Florence Parly of the Armed Forces.

After the conversation between the Cabinet delegations, Rutte will have a separate meeting with Macron. 

On Monday, Rutte had similar meetings with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in London. Afterward, the Dutch Prime Minister told the press that the Netherlands, United Kingdom, and Canada are willing to consider "all possible sanctions" to pressure Russia. But the "painful reality" is that Europe is very dependent on Russian energy. "If we force European companies to stop that, it would have huge consequences," he said. 

Europe gets about a third of its gas and a quarter of its oil from Russia. The Russian aggression against Ukraine underlines that this dependence must be reduced "dramatically," Rutte said. The main focus should be making the energy supply more sustainable. "But that takes time."

Oil and gas are the primary sources of income for Russia. A boycott would deal an unprecedented blow to the country's economy and public finances. The United States is considering such a ban on Russian energy imports, US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi previously said. 

Hoekstra visited Estonia and Latvia on Monday and had a "candid conversation" with Estonian Foreign Minister Eva-Maria Liimets. The Baltic countries only became independent from the Soviet Union in 1991. Hoekstra sees that they are "very concerned" about the current situation. "They know the lessons of the past."

However, the Estonian Minister does not believe her country is under direct military threat now that Russia has invaded Ukraine. Her Latvian counterpart Edgars Rinkevics also said he gets enough safety guarantees. NATO has had extra troops in the Baltic States for years against the Russian threat. But more needs to be done in the coming weeks, Rinkevics said. Estonia and Latvia asked that Russia be suspended from the UN Human Rights Council, that the EU quickly make Ukraine a candidate for EU membership, and for more heavy weapons for Ukraine. 

Hoekstra was unable to agree on all points. It's a balancing act, he said. You want to help the people of Ukraine and at the same time ensure that negotiations are started to end the struggle. The war must not spread to other countries. Hoekstra promised to keep helping the Baltic countries. In Lithuania, this is currently happening with 270 Dutch soldiers stationed there until the end of 2024. 

The Netherlands is open to many plans, but the question is also what is feasible, Hoekstra said. Suspending Russia from the UN Human Rights Council will be a difficult task given the countries that are now in it. Closing ports for Russians is negotiable for the Netherlands "provided we do it in Europe." 

It is also impossible to quickly make Ukraine a member of the EU, Prime Minister Rutte said last week. That is a complicated and complex process that takes many years. The Baltic states will continue to call for Ukraine's rapid accession. This "moral support" for the Ukrainian people is important, Liimets aid.