Dutch Defense Minister: Ukraine must retain NATO and EU membership prospects

The Netherlands supports Ukraine’s path toward membership in both NATO and the European Union, Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans said Monday during a speech in Amsterdam marking the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion.

“We must not take away Ukraine’s perspective on a better future,” Brekelmans said. Russian President Vladimir Putin, he noted, is determined to prevent Ukraine from joining NATO, a stance that appears to be gaining support from the new U.S. administration.

Brekelmans criticized the way American officials are engaging with Russia regarding Ukraine’s future. “Some people think you are strong if you talk to a dictator,” he said. “But you are only strong when you stand up to a dictator, as Ukraine has been doing for three years.”

The Dutch minister emphasized the importance of maintaining a clear distinction between aggressor and victim. “Putin is a dictator, President [Volodymyr] Zelensky is a democratically elected leader. Russia is the aggressor; Ukraine was illegally invaded, without reason. Russia commits war crimes daily, and Ukraine has every right to defend itself.”

Brekelmans’ remarks come after former U.S. President Donald Trump and members of his administration echoed Russian rhetoric on Ukraine. Within the Dutch government, similar sentiments also surfaced last week. Dutch Asylum Minister Marjolein Faber claimed in an interview before the weekly cabinet meeting that Zelensky “was not democratically elected.”

Following the meeting, Faber walked back her statement, calling it “a misunderstanding.” According to sources in The Hague, Brekelmans confronted Faber over the remark. The need for such a correction drew concern from opposition lawmakers in the Tweede Kamer and even members of the governing coalition, including the VVD and NSC.