Ukraine is losing the war against Russia, Dutch Defense Minister says

Minister Ruben Brekelmans (Defense) is pessimistic about the situation in Ukraine. According to him, it is clear that Russia now has the upper hand, and “you could even say that Ukraine is losing the war,” he said during the debate on his budget in parliament.

The Russians are gaining more and more ground in the east. In addition, the Ukrainian electricity infrastructure is constantly being targeted with missiles and drones. “And Russia’s military power is increasing,” said the Minister.

He is also concerned about the incoming American president Donald Trump, who says he wants a quick solution to the conflict after taking office. According to the Minister, a ceasefire or peace would not end the Russian threat. The Kremlin could then turn its attention to the Baltic states.

If Brekelmans is so pessimistic about the state of affairs in Ukraine, why does the Cabinet not invest more in aid to Kyiv, the opposition wanted to know. The Cabinet has “no urgency,” said Laursens Dassen (Volt). GroenLinks-PvdA, D66, and the CDA also believe that more support should be provided in this critical period.

The minister said that Defense currently has sufficient funds to help Kyiv. He added that it was difficult to set aside more money, partly due to the great international demand for weapons. “Patriot missiles simply do not exist.”

According to him, the Netherlands is still a frontrunner in providing aid to Ukraine. The Netherlands has now pledged 10.4 billion euros in military aid. The fact that other Western countries are making new contributions is because, for example, they had not yet pledged anything for next year, while the Netherlands has already done so.

Brekelmans also pointed out that the government is investing directly in Ukraine’s defense industry. This includes the capacity to build advanced drones. Brekelmans has pledged 400 million euros for this. According to the opposition parties, more money could be invested in the arms industry there.