“We are very similar in world view,” Hoekstra (CDA), who used to work in Berlin, told his colleague Annalena Baerbock. The Greens chairman said: “We share the same values.” But with regard to the Russian threat, the cautious Germans are engaged in an ‘Alleingang’. “Geopolitically and in terms of defense there is limited unity,” admitted Hoekstra. And: “The noses at NATO must point to each other.”
Weapons
For example, Berlin forbids the British from flying military equipment over Germany. And they also reject the supply of German rifles through NATO partners Finland and Estonia. Which weapons the Netherlands wants to send to Kiev remains unknown: “We will quickly map out what we have and what we can send,” said Hoekstra.
The new foreign minister was not aware that NATO soldiers are already present in Ukraine, something that greatly annoys Moscow. Ukrainian media estimate that there are currently about a thousand military advisers/trainers from various NATO countries. In Ukraine’s military exercises, there are often more. Under local law, up to 4,000 NATO soldiers may be present. NATO states that this does not concern combat-ready troops, but, for example, instructors.
russian gas
The great dependence of Europe and the Netherlands on Russian gas is wrong, Hoekstra admitted. “We need to be honest and become more independent, but that won’t change in the coming weeks and months.” The Netherlands and Germany signed for the Nord Stream gas pipeline in 2005 and are involved in the construction of a second pipeline project through the Baltic Sea through Shell and German companies. “All options in terms of sanctions are on the table,” Hoekstra now says. He does not rule out that the blockade of the billion-dollar project Nord Stream II is also part of this.