The new Prime Minister of the Netherlands Dick Schoof on Wednesday vowed to continue “financial and military support” for Ukraine.
“We should not be naive. A few hours’ flight from here, there is a horrific war, where human lives do not matter for Russia,” Schoof, a former spy chief, told parliament.
“Ukraine can continue to count on the Netherlands for financial, military and political support,” he emphasized.
The 67-year-old Independent candidate is succeeding departing Prime Minister Mark Rutte, who is set to become the next secretary-general of NATO after 14 years in office.
“I assured [Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy] that the Netherlands’ support for his country is rock solid; we will continue to support Ukraine politically, militarily, and financially against Russian aggression, whatever it takes and for as long as it takes,” Schoof said on social media platform X.
Under Rutte, the Netherlands signed a deal for €2 billion ($2.1 billion) of military assistance spread over 10 years, later adding an additional €1 billion.
The Netherlands has also been one of the driving forces behind attempts to supply Ukraine with F-16s to strengthen its air defenses against Russia.
Zelenskyy congratulated Schoof on his appointment and wished him success during his time in office.
“Relations between our countries have never been stronger. We have scheduled a meeting to further develop our partnership,” Zelenskyy said.