Thierry Baudet asks for clarification on Ukrainian and American influence on Dutch politics

This article was published in Dutch by FVD on 18 August.

On 26 September 2022, the Nord Stream pipelines were blown up. Immediately afterwards, almost all Western politicians, academics and media spread the narrative that Russia carried out this attack. Clear evidence was lacking, as was the logic behind this claim: is it really obvious that Moscow would blow up its own pipeline?

From the beginning, Forum for Democracy was the only party in the Netherlands which raised questions and kept other possible explanations open. Rightly so: it appears now that Ukraine was behind the attack, even with Zelensky's approval. Why was disinformation spread about the perpetrators and why was anyone who kept other explanations open vilified? Why did Sjoerd Sjoerdsma, at the time a member of parliament on behalf of the governing party, D66, even receive an award from Zelensky for his ‘unwavering support’ for Ukraine?  Why did Derk Boswijk and the current defence minister, Ruben Brekelmans, who were at the time members of parliament on behalf of the governing parties, CDA and VVD, run a think tank to strengthen the global leadership of Ukraine's main ally, the United States?

Could it be that foreign influence, and perhaps even funding from Ukraine and/or the United States, played a role? FVD party chairman Thierry Baudet has asked the government for clarification and has called for an investigation.

Thierry Baudet's questions to Interior Minister Judith Uitermark (NSC) can be read below.

Questions by Member of Parliament Baudet to the Minister of the Interior on investigations into whether (former) governing parties or politicians affiliated to (former) governing parties have been financed with money from Ukraine or the United States.

1. Do you believe that state actors may have an interest in influencing Dutch domestic politics? Could you please explain your answer?
2. What forms of foreign influence are recognised and identified by the Dutch state? Does this include foreign financing, the spreading of disinformation, the awarding of awards to Dutch politicians by foreign state actors and the running of think tanks with a specific foreign national interest?
3. Which state actors does the Dutch state believe could potentially try to influence Dutch domestic politics and why? Could you please explain your answer?
4. Do you believe that Russia may have an interest in influencing Dutch domestic politics? If yes, why? If no, why not?
5. Do you believe that the United States may have an interest in influencing Dutch domestic politics? If yes, why? If no, why not?
6. Do you believe Ukraine may have an interest in influencing Dutch domestic politics? If yes, why? If no, why not?
7. Do you believe that disinformation has been spread in the Netherlands about the blowing up of the Nord Stream pipeline, since on 14 August it became public that Ukrainians, with at least the knowledge of Ukrainian President Zelensky, were behind this act of aggression, while from the first moment after the attack until 14 August the narrative was spread by almost all Western politicians, academics and media that Russia was the culprit? Could you explain your answer?
8. Are you aware of the fact that former D66 MP Sjoerd Sjoerdsma received a presidential award from the Ukrainian authorities for his ‘unwavering support’ for Ukraine during a period when his party was in the Netherlands government?
9. Are you aware of the fact that VVD minister and former VVD MP, Ruben Brekelmans, and CDA MP, Derk Boswijk, are or were members of the Netherlands Atlantic Commission, during the period when they were MPs on behalf of a party that was in the Netherlands government? Are you aware of the fact that the Netherlands Atlantic Commission is the Dutch branch of the US Atlantic Council, an entity that it claims seeks to strengthen US global leadership?
10. In your view, is it desirable for Dutch (former) government parties or politicians affiliated with (former) government parties to spread disinformation about the motives behind foreign acts of aggression with enormous international consequences, in this case about the motives behind blowing up the Nord Stream pipeline; to be singled out by foreign state actors for their ‘unwavering support’ for that state actor, in this case by Ukraine; or to sit on the boards of think tanks with a specific foreign national interest, in this case that of the United States? If yes, why so? If no, why not?
11. Are you willing to ask the Court of Auditors in the short term to investigate whether and, if so, in what way (former) governing parties and politicians affiliated with (former) governing parties in the Netherlands from 2014 onwards have been influenced, partly through foreign funding (financial or in kind) by Ukraine or the United States? If no, why not? If so, are you willing to inform the Second Chamber of Parliament of the outcome of this investigation as soon as possible? Could you please explain your answer?
12. Can you answer these questions as soon as possible and separately?