Dutch parliament backs joint response plan to Russian sabotage

The Tweede Kamer, the House of Representatives, adopted a motion on Tuesday asking the cabinet to work with other countries on penalties for Russian hybrid attacks and sabotage. The motion, by VVD defence spokesperson Peter de Groot, asks the cabinet to develop a "response framework" (reactiekader) within NATO or the EU, with measures to be taken immediately after Russian actions. It passed with a broad majority.

"The urgency of this is felt very strongly in the Kamer," De Groot said. He argued that the Netherlands and its partners need an answer to attacks that stay just below the threshold of a casus belli, a justification for war. In his view, such tools are lacking at the moment.

At a security conference of NATO countries last May, Romanian MPs told him that when they feel threatened, they can only invoke article 4 of the NATO treaty, which convenes member states in an emergency session. "That is immediately such a big step," De Groot said. He wants a coordinated mechanism that tells Russia: do not come too close.

Hybrid attacks, especially computer hacks, make it hard to name a culprit. De Groot wants investigations into them expanded so that the culprits can be identified faster. He said it should not have to be proven beyond doubt in every case that Russia was behind an attack before the Netherlands acts: "There will have to be a framework that sets out what we do when we are not 100 per cent certain, but have a strong suspicion."

The penalties could vary widely, De Groot said. A ship from Russia's shadow fleet could be boarded, detained and its oil confiscated, or sanctions could be imposed on the companies behind it.

Peter Reesink, director of the military intelligence service MIVD, told parliament in a recent briefing that Moscow "acts opportunistically and takes ever more risks".