Europe must ‘calmly respond’ to the ‘fairly strong statements’ that US President Donald Trump makes. Prime Minister Dick Schoof said that in London on Thursday evening, after a conversation with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. It was Schoof’s first public response to Trump’s ideas about taking the Gaza Strip and the forced departure of the Gazan population. “I think we should not end up in a game in which one surpasses with the other,” said Schoof.
In terms of content, the Prime Minister repeated what Minister Caspar Veldkamp (Foreign Affairs, NSC) said on Wednesday, namely that the Netherlands pursues a two -state solution as a solution instead of a violent one. Veldkamp also called it “impossible” that the Gaza Strip is taken over by the United States. “We have a different opinion,” said Schoof about Trump’s proposal.
The consultation between Schoof and Prime Minister Starmer was mainly about safety, defense and the support of Ukraine. On the possible deployment of Dutch soldiers in a peace force in Ukraine did not want to anticipate. “If there is the need to do something with European troops, we must look at it seriously. […] Even then it is important that America also remains guaranteed for safety in Ukraine. “
The United Kingdom takes over the lead from the United States from the United States with more than fifty allies of Ukraine, on Thursday. Since the start of the Russian invasion led by the US and the Netherlands, that so-called Ramstein consultation was also wanted to stay that way. “The facts are as they are. The UK is now in the lead And the UK has always had a pioneering role around Ukraine, “said Schoof.
For Starmer, the visit of Schoof was the closure of a week full of European diplomacy; Last Monday he had a dinner with the heads of government of the European Union, although Schoof was absent there due to illness. The Danish Prime Minister also came to him. Starmer wants to start negotiations on closer cooperation with the EU next spring, probably with agreements on security, trade and migration.