Foreign Defense Ministers
concerned
Wilders government will
pull support
from Ukraine

Friday, 24 November 2023

Outgoing Defense Minister Kajsa
Ollongren has heard many
concerns from her
colleagues abroad about the
consequences the PVV’s election
victory will have for the war in
Ukraine. They fear the Netherlands
will stop supplying F-16 fighter jets
and other military support if
Geert Wilders’ party comes into
government.

Ollongren pointed out that
the PVV won’t rule alone but
in a coalition with other parties.
“I hope and expect that this
support will continue,” the
outgoing D66 Minister said.
“But yes, the PVV is the largest,”
she continued. “In the past,
the PVV has never been
enthusiastic about supporting
Ukraine. In fact, it has also
expressed itself pro-Russian.”

In its election program,
Wilders’ party speaks about
the “Russian aggressor” who
“unlawfully invaded Ukraine.”
But, the PVV often
opposed sending money
and arms like the F-16s to Ukraine.

Ollongren said she would do
“everything I can to ensure
things don’t go that way.”
The Minister considers
this not only a matter of
solidarity but also vital
for the Netherlands’ own
safety. She is convinced
that Russia won’t stop
waging war if it wins in Ukraine.

Follow the Money recently reported,
based on documents leaked by
Ukrainian hackers, that the Kremlin
has very successfully been
developing ties with the PVV
since 2013. The documents
also show that PVV leader
Geert Wilders has been
trying to hide his far-right
populist party’s connections with
Russia.

Reporting by ANP and NL Times