Africa
The Dutch government is continuing to push for additional sanctions against those sustaining Sudan's civil war, but is unwilling to suspend EU trade negotiations with the United Arab Emirates despite fresh allegations about foreign support networks linked to the conflict. The position highlights the delicate balance The Hague
United States & Canada
The Dutch Ministry of Defence has responded cautiously to claims that the Netherlands' military intelligence service monitored the mobile phone of Jared Kushner, after a new book alleged that Dutch intelligence gained access to information from the device with the help of a Russian hacker. Exclusive reporting and analysis
United States & Canada
After more than two years of negotiations, the Dutch government has quietly acknowledged that it failed to persuade Meta to address privacy concerns linked to official government Facebook pages. The talks collapsed without agreement, leaving The Hague facing a difficult choice: continue using a platform deemed problematic by privacy experts
Middle East
The Dutch embassy in Cairo has been closed to the public until further notice after facing nine consecutive days of protests linked to the arrest in the Netherlands of Ahmed Nasser, a prominent representative of Egyptians living abroad. The unusually persistent demonstrations have raised questions in The Hague about the
Dutch politics
The International Criminal Court has received yet another powerful display of international support. After a Nobel Peace Prize linked to former ICC judge Navi Pillay and a symbolic reception by King Willem-Alexander, the Hague-based court has now been awarded the European Parliament's 2026 Sakharov Prize for
Asia & Australia
The Dutch government has decided to extend its military contribution to the United Nations Command (UNC) in South Korea until the end of 2028, underlining a growing Dutch security interest in the Indo-Pacific at a time of rising tensions in East Asia and deepening cooperation between Russia and North
Middle East
The Netherlands is maintaining pressure on Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir over his latest remarks on Gaza, but Dutch ministers admit there is still too little support in the EU for sanctions. Newly published parliamentary answers offer a glimpse into how The Hague is trying to combine criticism
Europe & EU
The Dutch government is backing a more overtly strategic use of European development policy, arguing that Brussels should be transparent about its own interests when building partnerships around the world. Exclusive reporting and analysis from The Hague. First month €2.50 Start reading
Africa
The Netherlands is backing new EU visa restrictions on Somalia and Guinea as part of a broader effort to increase pressure on countries that do not cooperate on migration returns. The move underscores how strongly The Hague supports the use of visa policy as a tool in European migration diplomacy.
The latest on foreign policy, defence and politics from The Hague.
The Dutch government has voiced concern about China's growing focus on national and industrial security after Beijing expanded restrictions on foreign travel for large groups of public-sector and state-owned enterprise employees. But while acknowledging the potential implications, The Hague is stopping short of directly criticising the
A broad coalition in the European Parliament is demanding urgent action to protect the International Criminal Court (ICC) from planned new US sanctions, warning that Europe has only a narrow window to respond before Washington acts. The debate puts fresh pressure on both Brussels and The Hague: should they continue
The Dutch government has defended the participation of Dutch diplomats in a controversial Azerbaijani-organised visit to Nagorno-Karabakh, arguing that such trips are a normal part of diplomatic work despite ongoing international concerns over cultural heritage, disputed historical narratives and the 2023 exodus of more than 100,000 Armenians
The Dutch government has formally submitted a treaty to parliament that would clear the way for Curaçao to become an associate member of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), a move that could significantly deepen the island's regional ties and expand its influence across the Caribbean. Exclusive reporting and analysis
Prime Minister Rob Jetten and his fiancé Nicolás Keenan have announced that they are expecting a child in 2027 through a surrogate, marking a personal milestone that also touches on an increasingly sensitive political debate in The Hague. Exclusive reporting and analysis from The Hague. First month €2.50 Start
The Dutch cabinet has endorsed key recommendations from a recent Advisory Council on International Affairs (AIV) report on Ukraine's future security, backing a stronger European role after any future peace deal. But what security guarantees does The Hague support, and how deeply is the Netherlands prepared to become
The Netherlands is preparing a major overhaul of how it protects the increasingly strategic North Sea. After years of warnings about espionage, sabotage and vulnerabilities around subsea cables, pipelines and offshore energy infrastructure, the cabinet is now moving towards a permanent security structure backed by hundreds of millions of euros.
Dutch Finance Minister Eelco Heinen has walked out of an IMF meeting in Bangkok during a speech by Russia's Finance Minister, in a sign of growing Western unease over Moscow's return to international economic forums. The protest comes as the United States and other hosts have
The Dutch government hopes a new message from Brussels will help convince Dutch judges that returns to Italy can resume. But while the European Commission says reception capacity across the EU is now adequate, Dutch courts remain unconvinced. The dispute could become one of the first major tests of whether
Prime Minister Rob Jetten is one of Europe’s most pro-EU leaders. Yet as negotiations over the EU’s next long-term budget enter a crucial phase, the Dutch premier is firmly aligned with the bloc’s frugal countries. A new proposal from European Council President António Costa is
The VVD has quietly reshuffled its foreign affairs team in the Dutch House of Representatives, giving one of the party's most strategically important parliamentary portfolios to MP Queeny Rajkowski. The move comes as geopolitical tensions, defence debates and international crises increasingly dominate Dutch politics. But behind the scenes,
The Dutch government wants to give authorities new powers to stop, inspect and even detain vessels linked to Russia's so-called shadow fleet, arguing that the ships pose not only a sanctions risk but also a growing threat to critical infrastructure in the North Sea. Exclusive reporting and
