Weapons to Ukraine? FVD asks questions.

The Netherlands is being sucked into a war. Together with other Western countries, the Rutte government is implementing increasingly tough sanctions against Russia and sending increasingly heavy weapons to Ukraine. For example, the Netherlands, Germany and Denmark are sending 100 battle tanks to the East in the coming months. There is even talk of supplying F-16s. Who can rule out that soon Dutch soldiers and conscripts will be sent to the Ukrainian front?

Expensive and highly risky

The deliveries saddle the Netherlands with huge costs and risks. In less than a year, more than €1 billion has already been spent on military support. By comparison, in the same year the defence budget was € 12 billion. So almost 10 per cent of this went on arms for Ukraine. According to Minister Ollongren there is no limit to the cost of these deliveries. The cabinet is now preparing for long-term deliveries, and in doing so cannot guarantee that this will not have an adverse effect on the capacities of the Dutch army itself.  This is lethal.

No agreements

Moreover, the equipment is being delivered without it being clear what conditions are attached. We do not know whether Ukraine is receiving the weapons on loan or as a gift. We do not know whether the weapons can be misused (through illegal resale, for example) and what the risks of this are for our own safety. Nor do we know how it will be ensured that Ukraine will stick to agreements made on these deliveries.

The German opposition party Alternative für Deutschland has asked the German government questions about this. It turns out that the German government is giving Ukraine the weapons as a gift, without any quid pro quo, and cannot give a clear guarantee about their final destination. Very worrying - and reason for FVD to ask questions about the situation in the Netherlands. Group chairman Thierry Baudet and MP Ralf Dekker demanded clarification from ministers Kajsa Ollongren (Defence) and Wopke Hoekstra (Foreign Affairs).

You can read the parliamentary questions below. FVD will continue to work for de-escalation of the conflict in Ukraine. No warmongering, but peace.

Questions by Baudet and Dekker to the Minister of Defence and Foreign Affairs on military aid to Ukraine

Could you provide an overview of executed, intended and/or requested deliveries of military support to Ukraine? Can you indicate for each individual delivery the procedures, conditions and amounts involved? Is this support donated, sold, lent or made available in another way? 

What considerations underlie these deliveries of military support and who initiated them? Could you please explain your answer and answer for each delivery?

For each separately implemented, planned and/or requested delivery of military support to Ukraine, could you please indicate whether there have been (possible) illegalities, such as violations of the law of war, illegal re-sale and non-performance (such as failure to return equipment)? If there are irregularities, can you explain what these irregularities consist of, what amounts and entities are involved and what steps have been taken in response?

Can you guarantee that Ukraine will honour the agreements made regarding the delivery of military support? If so, why? If not, how do you assess this and how will you ensure that you can give this guarantee?

Can you rule out that the deployment of Dutch soldiers or conscripts will also be covered by military support to Ukraine in the future? Can you explain this?

Can you, in accordance with Article 68 of the Constitution, provide access to all data and correspondence related to the implemented, intended and/or requested provision of military support to Ukraine? If not, why not?

In answering these questions, can you include all military aid intended in any way for Ukraine and thus include resupply through third parties? If not, why not?

Can you answer these questions in full, separately, and as soon as possible?