Schoof heads to Paris for urgent European talks on Ukraine
Prime Minister Dick Schoof will travel to Paris on Monday for an informal emergency meeting with several European leaders, a spokesperson confirmed. French President Emmanuel Macron convened the meeting to discuss U.S. plans for Ukraine and potential peace negotiations with Russia.
U.S. President Donald Trump has stated he wants to end the war in Ukraine quickly. He has spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky about the matter, and members of his administration are preparing negotiations. The U.S. reportedly appears to be sidelining European leaders in the talks, arguing that they would slow down the process.
The U.S. government has also stressed that America has taken on too much responsibility for European security. Trump has insisted that European countries must increase defense spending, potentially surpassing U.S. contributions. According to officials including U.S. envoy to Russia and Ukraine Keith Kellogg and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Europe has little influence in negotiations as long as it lacks a significant military force of its own.
At the Munich Security Conference on Saturday, Schoof responded to remarks by U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance, which sparked controversy. Vance was accused of interfering in Germany’s elections and questioning the long-standing U.S.-Europe alliance. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and other European politicians condemned the speech, with Scholz calling U.S. involvement in German domestic politics “inappropriate and unacceptable.”
“I understand Chancellor Scholz’s reaction very well,” Schoof said. He also referenced billionaire and Trump ally Elon Musk, who has publicly supported Germany’s far-right AfD party.
Schoof stated that the Netherlands supports participating in a peacekeeping force to secure Ukraine after a potential agreement with Russia. “We understand that Europe must act here,” he said in Munich.
However, Schoof outlined two key conditions. The mission’s mandate must be “absolutely clear,” and European troops must have guaranteed U.S. support. “If the situation escalates, we must be able to count on the Americans against Russia,” he said. According to Schoof, the U.S. envoy to Ukraine responded positively to these concerns.
Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans emphasized that a concrete plan to protect Ukraine after a peace deal must be in place within weeks. “Of course, time is of the essence,” he said in Munich. The Netherlands is reportedly assessing its potential contributions.
Geert Wilders responded on X to Vance’s speech, calling it “fantastic.”
