Dutch Defense Minister wants to start Ukraine peace talks before Donald Trump does

Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans no longer rules out negotiations with Russia on peace in Ukraine, he said in an interview with the newspaper Trouw. In his opinion, European leaders should take the initiative before Donald Trump does.

According to the Minister, there is a sense of urgency. Trump will be installed as president of the United States on January 20 and has repeatedly said that he wants to end the war in Ukraine quickly.

“We have to make sure that European countries are at the table so that Trump does not decide with Putin on the security architecture in Europe,” Brekelmans said in the interview.

This is the first time that Brekelmans has broached the option of peace talks so openly. Until now, the Cabinet’s position was that negotiations should only take place when Ukraine was ready.

Since Trump was elected, the conversation has also started in Europe. Brekelmans speaks of an “acceleration.” Last Thursday, French President Emmanuel Macron and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk spoke to each other in Warsaw about a peace process.

With 27 member states, it is difficult to reach a consensus in the European Union on decisions about a possible peacekeeping force, the Minister said. “Given the urgency, you can decide not to wait for unanimity in any context.” That is why he mentioned the option of doing this with a group of countries.

“Ukraine is large and that ceasefire line - if it were to come - is long. If you want to do that in a credible way, you not only need many countries but also large countries,” the Minister said in Trouw.

Brekelmans did not want to anticipate possible Dutch participation. “It depends on what exactly is on the table and what that looks like.” He still “fully supports” the policy that the Netherlands will not fight in Ukraine. According to him, participation in a peace mission is something different. “It is about maintaining peace.”