Dutch politics
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
Ukraine
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
NATO & Defence
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.
Asia & Australia
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
Europe & EU
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
Dutch politics
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,
Europe & EU
Prime Minister Rob Jetten has called for increased European support for Ukraine while warning that the United States is becoming a less predictable ally. Ahead of an EU summit in Brussels, the Dutch prime minister criticised planned US sanctions against the International Criminal Court (ICC), dismissed President Donald Trump'
NATO & Defence
The Netherlands and France have held their first meeting on nuclear deterrence cooperation, opening a new chapter in bilateral defence relations as European governments seek to assume greater responsibility for their own security. Ministers insist the initiative complements NATO, but the talks underscore a broader shift in Europe's
Middle East
The Netherlands will contribute €15 million to the reconstruction of Syria before the end of this year, marking one of the first concrete financial commitments to a new World Bank-backed recovery fund. The move signals a further shift in Dutch policy from humanitarian relief towards longer-term stabilisation, while
United States & Canada
The Netherlands is stepping up criticism of a new US-Russia diesel agreement, with Prime Minister Rob Jetten arguing that the deal undermines efforts to increase pressure on Moscow over the war in Ukraine. Speaking ahead of this week's EU summit, Jetten said the Dutch government has already
Russia
Just days before the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships open in Rotterdam, a diplomatic row has erupted between the Netherlands and Russia. Three of Russia's biggest medal contenders have been denied visas, prompting accusations of discrimination and raising questions about how far political and security considerations can shape international
Europe & EU
The Netherlands is digging in for a fight over the European Union's next long-term budget. While the Irish presidency insists a deal should be reached before the end of the year, Prime Minister Rob Jetten says The Hague will not be rushed into accepting a proposal that