Hoekstra and Ollongren report this morning that “diplomatic efforts to date have not yielded an opening” in the conflict between Russia and the west over Ukraine. For example, Russian President Putin wants NATO to withdraw all its troops from Eastern Europe: something the West is not prepared to do. “That is why the cabinet is still taking all scenarios into account and it is important to be prepared for the scenario that talks are unexpectedly unsuccessful,” the ministers said. “The chance of escalation remains real for the time being.”
Insist
The cabinet has still not made a choice about supplying defensive weapons to Ukraine. The Ukrainian government asked the Netherlands for such arms deliveries a few weeks ago. Hoekstra and Ollongren want to ‘go through all the steps carefully’, they now write. The VVD in the House of Representatives in particular is pressing for a quick decision. Now that the Netherlands has issued a negative travel advice for Ukraine, it is extra difficult to supply certain weapon systems that require extra training.
The cabinet does not have a good overview of all Dutch people who are still in the country. At the moment, 147 compatriots have reported to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. But that registration is not mandatory. “Unfortunately, personal data of Dutch people cannot be obtained through airlines and local authorities due to privacy considerations,” write Hoekstra and Ollongren.
The Dutch embassy in Kiev is largely closed: there is still a minimal occupation. All computers have been ‘disconnected and secured’. Some of the embassy staff have moved to the western town of Lviv – close to the Polish border – where emergency passports can still be issued. This afternoon the House will debate the crisis in Ukraine.