Ukraine support remains cross-party priority in Netherlands, Ambassador says

Ukraine’s Ambassador to the Netherlands, Andriy Kostin, said this in an exclusive interview with an Ukrinform correspondent in The Hague.

“A minority government, by its nature, will be forced to constantly seek support in Parliament, explain its decisions, and build broader coalitions around specific issues. But this does not automatically mean a weakening of foreign policy or support for Ukraine. On the contrary, in the Dutch political tradition, Parliament plays a very strong role, and support for Ukraine remains a matter of broad cross-party consensus. D66, VVD, and CDA have consistently advocated political, military, and humanitarian support for Ukraine, as well as a clear stance on accountability for the crime of aggression,” he noted.

Kostin expressed confidence that no sharp changes are expected in the Netherlands’ policy toward Ukrainian refugees.

“Here, too, I do not expect drastic changes. The Dutch approach is based not only on political agreements but also on European commitments, in particular the EU’s Temporary Protection Mechanism. In addition, support for Ukrainians in the Netherlands has a strong societal foundation – from municipalities, civil society organizations, and ordinary citizens. This creates additional policy stability, regardless of the format of the government,” the Ukrainian diplomat explained.

According to him, the form of government may be new, but the guiding principles that shape the Netherlands’ position remain unchanged. Moreover, this is not only about solidarity or values, but also about shared European security.

“Ukraine today is an important element of Europe’s security architecture, and the experience of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in countering modern threats, hybrid warfare, and the use of new technologies is being closely studied by partners. That is why support for Ukraine is increasingly perceived not as one-sided assistance, but as an investment in one’s own security, including the development of defense cooperation and opportunities for joint production of weapons and technologies. We have made very serious progress here with our Dutch colleagues. The ideas discussed during the visit in June have already materialized into specific agreements that are being concluded. The development of joint production is showing very positive momentum. The Netherlands understands that Ukraine’s security is an integral part of Europe’s security,” Kostin summarized.

As reported by Ukrinform, the future Dutch government being formed by a coalition led by the liberal D66 party intends to allocate more than €3 billion in military assistance to Ukraine in 2027–2029.