Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans believes that the war in Ukraine will not end in 2024 and has called for a vision of long-term support for Ukraine.
Brakelmans made this statement in an interview with LRT.
When asked about potential timelines for the end of the war, Brakelmans said,
"I don't think the war will end this year, and I don't think it will end next year."
He also emphasized that the situation on the battlefield in Ukraine is "very complex."
"This means we need to do more, but we should also not set our expectations too high because sometimes people think the Russian invasion was initially a sprint that turned into a marathon, but in reality, it is a 42-kilometer sprint," he said.
According to the Dutch Defense Minister, this implies continued support for Ukraine while considering the long-term perspective so that European nations are prepared to support Ukraine for a longer period and do not have incorrect expectations.
Brakelmans also believes that Russia is "undoubtedly powerful" and capable of waging high-intensity warfare "for a very long time."
"Russia is playing the numbers game, and Ukraine finds it very difficult to defend itself, so we must take the Russian threat very seriously, both on the battlefield and, of course, considering that it is a nuclear state," the minister added.
