War situation can still be turned in Ukraine's favour, Dutch Defence Minister says

Dutch Defence Minister Kajsa Ollongren has said that Western assistance is crucial to reversing the current tide on the Russo-Ukrainian war front, where Russia currently has the upper hand.

Ollongren was asked in an interview with Lithuanian public broadcaster LRT what she could say about the pace of Western support for Ukraine.

"It is hard to answer. If you ask a Ukrainian soldier in a trench, of course, it [the supply of military aid] is probably taking too much time, and there is not enough help. But war is a complex and scary phenomenon," the minister said.

"Now we do see that Russia has a certain advantage. But I firmly believe that we can change the situation if we increase production, in particular of ammunition, drones, and other new technologies that are very widely used in Ukraine. If we can strengthen [Ukraine’s] air defence in particular, I am adamant that Ukraine will succeed. But we must actively support Ukraine," Kajsa Ollongren said.

The official was also asked what to expect from the Netherlands in the future if the parliamentary elections showed that many people support populist forces.

Ollongren noted that populist politician Geert Wilders' winning party had failed to secure a majority and was still engaged in complex coalition negotiations. The defence minister further stated that, in general, there is high support for Ukraine in the parliament and society and an understanding that Europe's security depends on it. 

"I hope that when voters cast their votes in the European Parliament elections in June, they will seriously consider that security is not something that is 'by default' and will always be there... We need to invest in security, we need to invest in our security, we need people ready to put on a uniform and defend our continent," the minister stressed.

In addition, during her visit to Lithuania, Ollongren said that the Netherlands plans to start sending F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine this autumn, following Denmark, which intends to deliver the planes in the summer.

The Danish ambassador to Kyiv said he was optimistic that F-16 fighter jets would arrive in Ukraine this summer.