Dutch politics
After months of deadlock, the Dutch government presents one of the most far-reaching nitrogen packages in years — with strict new zones around dozens of protected nature areas, measures that could directly impact thousands of farms, and billions of euros at stake. But will it finally unlock the crisis that
Africa
The Dutch government has expressed concern over reports that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) may be involved in deploying Colombian mercenaries in the war in Sudan, but is opting for a cautious diplomatic approach towards Abu Dhabi. This emerges from answers by Foreign Minister Berendsen and the Minister for Foreign
Middle East
A controversial invitation from The Hague is exposing clear fault lines in Dutch politics. While right-wing and christian parties are pushing for a meeting with Reza Pahlavi, left-wing factions have voted against the move.
Caribbean & Latin America
The Netherlands is deploying a specialised urban search and rescue mission to earthquake-hit Venezuela, responding to an urgent plea for help from a country just across the Caribbean from the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Asia & Australia
The Dutch Ministry of Defence has identified dozens of reports describing suspected violations of international humanitarian law committed by Western coalition partners and Afghan forces during the Afghanistan mission.
Africa
Behind the scenes, the Dutch government is exploring new ways to manage one of Europe’s most persistent migration challenges: what to do with rejected asylum seekers who cannot be returned. Officials are now looking beyond the EU’s borders, assessing whether so‑called “return hubs” could offer a politically
Middle East
Two Dutch ministers, Minister of Foreign Affairs Berendsen and Minister for Migration Van den Brink has travelled to Syria following earlier visits to Qatar and Lebanon, marking a cautious step in The Hague’s re-engagement with Damascus.
Former Dutch Defence Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Kajsa Ollongren (59) has been appointed Secretary-General of the European External Action Service (EEAS), the European Union’s diplomatic arm. The announcement was made by EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas on Wednesday.
NATO & Defence
The Dutch maritime industry has been dealt a significant blow after the German government abruptly cancelled the multibillion-euro order for six F126 frigates that were to be built by Damen Naval. The decision, confirmed by the German Ministry of Defence, is already reverberating in The Hague, where concerns are
The NATO summit on 7 and 8 July in Ankara is set to focus on a fundamental shift within the alliance: Europe must assume greater responsibility for its own security. That is the key message outlined in the annotated agenda the Dutch government has sent to parliament.
United States & Canada
After a visit to Washington, Dutch Foreign Trade Minister Sjoerd Sjoerdsma (D66) has sharply criticised proposed US legislation that could force Dutch chipmaker ASML to further restrict its exports to China, even as the Netherlands signalled closer alignment with Washington by signing on to the Pax Silica initiative during the
Asia & Australia
The Dutch government has confirmed it is participating in exploratory talks between the European Union and the Taliban on the return of rejected Afghan asylum seekers, while stressing it does not recognise the regime as Afghanistan’s legitimate government.