‘In addition to tanks, the Netherlands should consider supplying F-16s to Ukraine’
There is political support both inside and outside the coalition for supplying Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine. The Netherlands should also consider supplying F-16 fighter jets if Ukraine requests it. That is what MPs Ruben Brekelmans (VVD) and Tom van der Lee (GroenLinks) say on Wednesday News hour.
“Ukraine has been looking for the rest of Europe for some time and Putin’s troops are stringing war crimes together, which means that we have to support the Ukrainians,” says Van der Lee. “We need to enable them to defend themselves with modern weapons.”
Buy German tanks?
After weeks of reluctance, secret Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced on Wednesday that Germany will deliver fourteen Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine. Other countries also receive permission from Berlin to send their German tanks.
This allows Norway to proceed with the plan to send four to eight Leopards. Poland will also supply fourteen of the coveted tanks. In addition, the UK is replacing 14 Challenger 2 tanks and the US 31 M1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine.
The Netherlands is also prepared to supply more weapons to Ukraine: from Leopard 2 tanks to F-16 fighter jets.
The Netherlands Although it does not own any tanks, the government said last week that it was willing to pay to the Leopards that other countries want to supply to Ukraine. In addition, the Netherlands leases eighteen Leopard tanks from Germany. Prime Minister Mark Rutte said in Brussels on Tuesday that the Netherlands makes those tanks possible can buy to give them to Ukraine.
We are not supplying weapons to Ukraine to deal a blow to Russia.
The talks are ongoing, says Rutte on Wednesday News hour. “But it will be some time before a decision is made.”
On Thursday, the House of Representatives will debate additional arms supplies to Ukraine. MPs Brekelmans (VVD) and Van der Lee (GroenLinks) are in favor of supplying the Leopards.
In 2011, the Netherlands sold 100 tanks to Finland because of a austerity round during the financial crisis. construction only leases tanks in the Netherlands. “It is important that the battalion that we have not lost is not lost, for example if we send so many tanks that the battalion has too few tanks left,” says Brekelmans.
Rutte: “We have yet to see whether we will deliver all eighteen Leopards. We have to see how many tanks are involved and which gaps will then arise. Of course you have to keep looking closely at whether you can still protect yourself. But it must not happen that Russia win, because then our security is also in danger. And that is why we must prepare to go very far in our support to Ukraine.”
Fighter jets
In addition to tanks, Ukraine is asking for F-16s. Is it possible that the Netherlands supplies these fighter jets? Brekelmans: “In theory it is possible. But I think it would be better to decide on this in a collaboration between several countries.”
Van der Lee agrees, although he believes it is also important that clear agreements are made with Ukraine. “If we could deliver F-16s, we would also have to train the pilots as soon as possible – it is not just an aircraft. In addition, the F-16 has a large range and one can also actively attack in Russia. With these types of long-range weapons, we are seriously looking at the risks that are stuck.”
Brekelmans agrees. “We do not supply weapons to Ukraine to deal a blow to Russia. If it comes to the point that the Dutch send F-16s, it must be on the condition that they are not used in Russia.”
But it is not the case that we only supply Dutch equipment, says Prime Minister Rutte. “We are still busy buying a lot of new equipment. We can also buy stuff and give it away at some point.”
Yet the fear of escalation does not always lurk when the West supplies more weapons to Ukraine. Van der Lee: “That risk is simply there and we must also recognize that. Supplying weapons is really something different than deploying NATO troops. I think that the absolute red line that all other government leaders already follow is, rightly so. have indicated.”
Rutte also realized that the readiness of the Netherlands must be closely monitored. “But it doesn’t stop if Ukraine loses. It is in our interest that the Russians lose.”