Russia could be ready for full-scale NATO clash by 2030 - Dutch minister
Ruben Brekelmans (photo: GettyImages)
The future of Europe is directly linked to the course of the war in Ukraine. Experts emphasize that peace is only possible through strength, which is why military support for Kyiv must be sustained in the long term, according to a report by Ukrinform.
At the European Defence Innovation Forum (EDIF) in The Hague, Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans noted that the threats posed by Russia concern not only Ukraine but the entire Western world.
Brekelmans stressed that everyone needed to realize how closely the security of Ukraine was tied to the security of the rest of Europe, and that Putin’s imperial ambitions went beyond Ukraine’s territory, as he sought to divide the West and undermine their alliances.
Russia is preparing for a large-scale war
According to the minister, Moscow is shifting its economy onto a war footing, expanding arms production, and mobilizing more servicemen than are needed for current combat operations.
He stated that by 2030 Russia wanted to be ready for a large-scale confrontation with NATO, adding that this was the reality they had to be prepared for and that their only option was peace through strength.
Brekelmans noted that the Kremlin is replenishing its strategic reserves and plans to build up its military potential in the coming years.
Netherlands strengthens aid to Ukraine
The minister recalled that since 2022, his country has provided Kyiv with over €13 billion in military support, and by the end of August this year, the amount had reached nearly €9 billion. Part of the funds went toward commercial arms purchases.
Brekelmans said that in addition to strengthening their defense capabilities, they had to increase and accelerate support for Ukraine, and that it was necessary to ensure Ukrainians continued to receive the resources for self-defense not only in the short term, but also in the long term.
Ukraine's and the Netherlands’ largest research institute agreed on cooperation aimed at developing and implementing new technological solutions that could become a game-changer in the conditions of war.
The Netherlands will deploy two Patriot surface-to-air missile systems and about 300 servicemen to Poland to guard the NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine (NSATU) logistics center, with the deployment running from December 1 to June 1 of next year.
