THE HAGUE - The majority of Netherlands residents still favor providing Ukraine with financial and military support two years after Russia invaded the country. On Friday, the Netherlands announced it would sign a bilateral, ten-year security agreement with Ukraine, focused on longer-term military aid, reconstruction, and improving Ukraine’s resilience. PVV leader Geert Wilders said he supports Ukraine’s war against Russia but is vehemently against the outgoing Cabinet signing a ten-year-long deal with the country. Foreign Minister Hanke Bruins Slot brushed his criticism aside, saying the government is not outgoing when it concerns Russia’s war on Ukraine.
Saturday marked the two-year anniversary of Russia invading Ukraine. “This terrible war must stop. And I want you to know that the Netherlands is with you. Even if it takes a long time and even if it is difficult,” outgoing Prime Minister Mark Rutte said in a video addressed to Ukrainians on Saturday. “We will support you for as long as it takes.”
The vast majority of Netherlands residents are in favor of continuing to support Ukraine with money and weapons, according to a survey by RTL Nieuws among its panel. Only 13 percent want to stop aid to the country completely. Most (55 percent) are happy with the current support, 9 percent want to give more, and 15 percent want to continue support but decrease it.
Two-thirds of Netherlands residents consider Russia an “enemy of the Netherlands.” And 40 percent think Russia will attack one or more NATO countries in the coming five years.
On Saturday, PVV leader Geert Wilders said for the first time that his party was willing to discuss “every form of help” for Ukraine. “The war that Russia started against Ukraine two years ago can only be called illegal and barbaric,” he posted on X. Until now, the PVV was only willing to offer political support to Ukraine. The more supportive tone toward Ukraine may be another attempt by Wilders to make his party more palatable for other parties to work with in the Cabinet formation.
Wilders did speak out against the bilateral security agreement with Ukraine that the government announced on Friday. The agreement is on security, defense, reconstruction, and justice. “An outgoing Cabinet cannot conclude a ten-year agreement,” he said.
Foreign Minister Bruins Slot brushed his criticism aside. “From the beginning, we have said that we are not outgoing when it comes to Ukraine. Because that is also about our safety,” she said on Sunday afternoon in the TV program Buitenhof. “If we do nothing for a year, Russia will win. Vladimir Putin will not stop. He will continue. As a government, you must continue to take responsibility for this despite the fact that we are outgoing.”
Bruins Slot stressed Wilders’ change in tone. “He indicated for the first time that he was prepared to support Ukraine with more than political means, but also military, for example.” She considers that a positive sign.
Wilders’ far-right populist PVV is the largest party in the Netherlands since the parliamentary election in November. The party and Wilders himself are known to be pro-Russia.
