Europe & EU
At a time when Europe is grappling with a more assertive Russia, growing pressure on critical infrastructure and mounting economic uncertainty, the Netherlands and Norway are drawing closer together. Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten and his Norwegian counterpart Jonas Gahr Støre signed a new strategic partnership that goes beyond symbolic
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
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
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
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
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
United States & Canada
The Dutch government says it is preparing with European partners to shield the International Criminal Court (ICC) from growing American pressure, after Washington expanded sanctions against court officials and signalled it could take further measures. Behind the scenes, The Hague is working on contingency plans ranging from financial protections to
Russia
The Dutch government has summoned Russia's ambassador after Germany formally accused Moscow of being behind explosive-laden drones found at and around Leipzig Airport. While The Hague has joined a growing number of European capitals in backing Berlin's conclusions, the diplomatic move also highlights a deeper
Russia
Germany says it now has evidence that Russia was behind an attempted drone attack involving explosives near Leipzig Airport. The accusation has triggered an forceful response from Berlin and immediate backing from The Hague. But behind the public expressions of solidarity, Dutch officials and sources in The Hague are increasingly
Europe & EU
Serbia's plans to grant a special burial to Ratko Mladić are triggering growing political backlash in Brussels and The Hague, casting a fresh shadow over the country's troubled path towards EU membership. EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos warns that the glorification of war criminals has "
Dutch politics
Can Ukraine hold the line against an expected new wave of Russian attacks without additional Western support? And will the Dutch government be willing to bring forward billions in military funding just as difficult budget negotiations enter their final stage? Those questions are becoming increasingly urgent as Kyiv warns that
Dutch politics
The Dutch government wants to give its intelligence agencies far greater powers to act against suspected hackers, foreign intelligence services and terrorist networks, arguing that today's geopolitical and technological threats are evolving faster than existing oversight procedures can handle. But with memories of the controversial 2018 "sleepwet&