Middle East
For months, Dutch naval vessels waited on standby for a possible international mission to safeguard one of the world's most strategically important waterways. But despite continued military planning, The Hague now appears to be signalling that such an operation is not imminent. The Dutch government has decided to
Europe & EU
Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten has expressed concern over the far-right AfD's breakthrough victory in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt, warning that mainstream politicians must draw lessons from voters' dissatisfaction. His remarks come as Germany grapples with the implications of one of the strongest performances
Ukraine
A senior D66 foreign affairs MP, Hanneke van der Werf, has issued a clarifying statement after saying in a national television talk show that “we” may need to shoot at Russian launch installations ourselves if Ukraine is to survive another winter of Russian bombardment. The remarks quickly drew attention because
China
Dutch minister Sjoerd Sjoerdsma used a recent visit to China to directly raise concerns about the treatment of the Uyghur minority, including allegations of forced labour in Xinjiang. The exchanges offer a rare glimpse into how the Dutch government is trying to balance mounting human rights concerns with its desire
NATO & Defense
The Netherlands has welcomed what it describes as a significant breakthrough in international efforts to regulate autonomous weapons systems, after 128 countries reached consensus on a document that could pave the way for future global rules on so-called “killer robots”. The agreement, reached overnight in Geneva under the framework
Middle East
Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has once again drawn sharp condemnation from The Hague. In response to parliamentary questions from MPs Hanneke Van der Werf (D66), Maes van Lanschot (CDA) en Kati Piri (PRO), Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen said the far-right minister's latest remarks point
Africa
As the United Nations grapples with mounting geopolitical tensions, declining influence and a multi-billion-dollar funding crisis, world leaders will gather in New York this month for the 81st session of the UN General Assembly. The Dutch government has now unveiled its priorities, ranging from defending the international rules-
Europe & EU
Denmark says it expects to be ready by the end of 2027 to start sending rejected asylum seekers to a return centre outside the European Union. Now, together with the Netherlands, Germany, Austria and Greece, it wants to secure agreements with third countries before the end of this year. But
Europe & EU
The Netherlands has delivered a blunt message to Belgrade over the planned funeral of convicted war criminal Ratko Mladić, with Prime Minister Rob Jetten warning that any official honours would be deeply inappropriate. The dispute is not only reopening painful memories of Srebrenica, but is also hardening Dutch opposition to
Middle East
The mysterious disappearance of Dutch ASML employee Omar Elshal from his own court hearing in Egypt has now reached the highest diplomatic level. After questions in The Hague from left-wing MPs Stephan van Baarle (DENK), Christine Teunissen (PvdD), Kati Piri (PRO) and Sarah Dobbe (SP), Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen
Ukraine
The Dutch Ministry of Defence has publicly acknowledged for the first time that a weapons system it previously described as a “drone” for Ukraine can also be classified as a cruise missile, shedding new light on the increasingly advanced nature of Dutch military assistance to Kyiv. The admission comes after
Dutch politics
On 22 September, the Netherlands will introduce a trade boycott on products originating from Israeli settlements in occupied territories, marking one of the most significant Dutch measures against the settlement enterprise in years. Yet less than three weeks before the sanctions take effect, political divisions are already emerging over how