Ukraine
The Ukrainian president’s last-minute trip comes as Kyiv faces intensifying Russian attacks, uncertainty over US support and crucial peace talks where Europe may once again find itself on the sidelines. Exclusive reporting and analysis from The Hague. First month €2.50 Start reading
Africa
The Netherlands and four other European countries are moving ahead with plans for a return hub in Rwanda for rejected asylum seekers, taking a controversial European migration policy closer to reality. But the coalition parties of the Dutch minority coalition itself remains divided over whether Rwanda is the right place
Asia & Australia
Agriculture minister Jaimi van Essen is facing criticism over his decision to attend a UN biodiversity summit in Armenia just as the Dutch government enters a decisive phase of negotiations over its nitrogen policy. With farmers demanding changes and political support for the cabinet under pressure, his absence from The
Ukraine
The Hague is committing €1.2 billion in non-military support to Ukraine over the next three years, with energy security and reconstruction at the heart of the package. But the plans announced by Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Minister Sjoerd Sjoerdsma in Kyiv also reveal a second Dutch priority:
Dutch politics
The Dutch government wants the Netherlands to remain a global quantum frontrunner, but the new national strategy makes clear that The Hague is no longer looking at quantum technology primarily through the lens of innovation and economic growth. Faced with rising geopolitical competition, cyber threats and concerns over strategic dependencies,
Middle East
The Dutch government is stepping up its humanitarian contribution as severe funding shortages force the UN’s World Food Programme to scale back food assistance in Gaza. The additional money comes alongside unusually blunt criticism from The Hague of the obstacles facing aid organisations, with the government acknowledging that its
NATO & Defence
The Netherlands is buying a new package of armoured vehicles to strengthen its land forces, including additional CV90 infantry fighting vehicles and new tracked support and heavy recovery vehicles. The plans also show how The Hague increasingly combines European procurement with a role for Dutch industry. Exclusive reporting and analysis
When EU and Canadian leaders meet in Montreal this week, the Dutch government will be among the strongest supporters of a deeper strategic partnership. While the agenda focuses on trade, critical minerals, defence and technology, officials in The Hague increasingly view Canada as a key partner in Europe's
Asia & Australia
After more than a decade without a Dutch foreign ministerial visit to Azerbaijan, Foreign Minister Berendsen has travelled to both Baku and Yerevan, combining a push to strengthen bilateral ties with renewed Dutch support for the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace process. The trip comes as the Netherlands and Azerbaijan prepare to
NATO & Defence
The planned sale of Dutch radar specialist Robin Radar is emerging as one of the Netherlands’ most closely watched defence deals in years. While investors and defence companies are preparing bids that could value the Delft-based firm at around €2 billion, the outcome may depend as much on the
Caribbean & Latin America
The Dutch government is preparing one of its largest international climate-finance commitments in years, with plans to invest up to $500 million over the next decade in a new global fund designed to reward countries for preserving tropical forests. The move places The Hague among a growing coalition of
Dutch politics
The Netherlands risks losing credibility and influence in a rapidly changing world unless it fundamentally rethinks the way it approaches international development cooperation, according to a new government advisory report. The advice, to be presented to Foreign Trade and Development Minister Sjoerd Sjoerdsma, argues that traditional aid relationships are no