Russia will be ready for new aggression a year after the end of the war in Ukraine – Dutch Defense Minister

This was announced by the Minister of Defense of the Netherlands Ruben Brekelmans during his speech at a conference on security issues, as reported by Ukrinform with reference to Defense News.

“According to the available information, Russia is ready to carry out a 'large-scale' military operation approximately one year after the signing of a ceasefire or peace agreement in Ukraine,” Brekelmans noted.

At a conference in the Dutch city of Baarn, he urged listeners to imagine President Vladimir Putin deploying hundreds of thousands of troops to the border with the Baltic states for major military exercises. He said Ukraine's experience showed that it took only a week to move from exercises to a real attack, raising questions about whether such movements were really exercises or preparations for an invasion.

The threat assessment from the Netherlands was even more serious than previous warnings from the European Commission.

Brekelmans stressed that Russia is developing its defense industry, actively recruiting intelligence agents and preparing for future conflicts. He warned that once the war in Ukraine is over, the Kremlin will have more resources for new acts of aggression.

Read also: Dutch and UK Prime Ministers Discuss Security Guarantees for Ukraine

The Netherlands has already deployed aircraft to Lithuania and F-35 fighters to Estonia, and is also preparing for potential participation in the Eura mission in Ukraine.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, the Netherlands intends to speed up the provision of promised financial assistance to Ukraine.

Photo: ANP