Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans has expressed a pessimistic view of the situation on the frontlines in Ukraine, stating that Russia still holds an advantage and that the U.S. elections are adding further uncertainty to the situation.
Speaking during a parliamentary debate on the defense budget, Brekelmans said, “Russia has an advantage” on the battlefield.
“One could even say that Ukraine is losing the war. And we are dealing with the outcomes of the U.S. elections, which are shaking everything up, because we know that the new president, Donald Trump, has made statements about how he views Ukraine and how he would force both sides to the negotiating table,” he added.
The Dutch defense chief also emphasized that he does not believe it would be right to engage in negotiations for “peace in Ukraine” at this time. “The risk is that Ukraine would have to make significant concessions because it would be negotiating from a position of weakness. This would mean that aggression in Europe would prevail. Then, we would truly be living on a different continent from the one we all grew up on,” Brekelmans said.
He also reminded that the previous Dutch government had already allocated aid to Ukraine for 2025, and the current administration does not see a reason to reconsider this decision.
