Dutch army joins drill for possible post-war Ukraine mission
The Netherlands is taking part in an exercise with allied armies for a force that would be activated if a ceasefire is agreed in Ukraine, the Ministry of Defence says.
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Illustrative photo: Defensie / CC BY-SA 4.0
The Dutch army is taking part in a military exercise by the armies of the Coalition of the Willing, the group of countries that has supported Ukraine in its war with Russia.
The exercise looks ahead to the Multinational Force Ukraine. That mission would be activated if there is a ceasefire. According to the Ministry of Defence, the coalition aims to strengthen and modernise the Ukrainian armed forces once the war ends.
Defence Minister Dilan Yeşilgöz said Russia seems unwilling to stop its war of aggression. Even so, she said, it is important that the Netherlands and Europe are prepared for a possible new phase in the peace negotiations.
The outcome of this war strongly determines the stability of Europe and the security of the Netherlands. Our own freedom and values are at stake.Defence Minister Dilan Yeşilgöz
A final decision on Dutch participation in a possible mission has yet to be taken.
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Coalition of the Willing
The Coalition of the Willing is an informal group of countries that support Ukraine in its war with Russia. It is not a formal alliance or an international organisation, and its members coordinate political, financial and military support for Ukraine, including planning for security guarantees and a possible multinational reassurance force once fighting stops. Military exercises by its armies, like the one the Dutch army takes part in, are used to prepare for that kind of mission.