Dutch Minister of Defense, Ruben Brekelmans, stated that the coming months will be decisive for the war and Ukraine's future.
As reported by an Ukrinform correspondent in The Hague, he made this statement during his speech in Maastricht.
"Next week, on February 24, marks three years since Putin began his special operation in Ukraine. We still remember the footage of the brutal invasion of Russian attack helicopters and the endless columns of tanks crossing the Ukrainian border. Flashes of light in the night sky over Kyiv... missiles and explosions. Putin thought it would take only three days to conquer Ukraine. The war has lasted for three years, and the Ukrainians are putting up a worthy resistance... The coming months will be decisive for this war and Ukraine's future. Moreover, it is critically important for Europe’s future, and thus for the future of the Netherlands," he emphasized.
The Minister also noted that President Trump is trying to push for an end to the war in Ukraine.
"And let me be clear about this. Of course, everyone seeks peace. First and foremost, the Ukrainians themselves. No one wants this horrific war to end more than they do. Their men, fathers, sons, and daughters are fighting on the front lines. For three years, they have been fighting for their freedom... We all, you and I, we all long for peace and the end of this horror. But true peace is peace that also withstands the test of time. Peace that does not provoke new aggression, that is not a pause, like between the First and Second World Wars, but a true end to the conflict," he said.
The Minister stated that, due to the Russian threat to Europe, it will have to form its own defense, its own umbrella, and Europe only has one chance to get it right.
"We can no longer simply rely on the protection of the United States. We must earn that protection, and we don't have much time to do so. We must act now, and Europe only has one chance to do this right," he said.
Brakelmans emphasized that next week, on February 24, marks three years of Russia’s full-scale war in Ukraine.
