Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans stated that Vladimir Putin’s imperial ambitions go beyond Ukraine, aiming to restore the influence of the Soviet empire — including in the Baltic countries and other territories.
“I think Russia, even though they are only gaining limited successes, […] poses a very big threat. We see that they are continuously further building up their military capabilities: producing more weapon systems and recruiting more soldiers."
“What we also see is that they are not only doing this to continue their aggression in Ukraine, but are also already preparing for a potential conflict beyond Ukraine. We also see that they are replenishing their inventory levels in other parts of Russia as well.”
"So, I think that is very concerning. We also know that Putin’s imperialistic ambitions go beyond Ukraine and that he wants to reinstate the influence of the Soviet empire, for example, in the Baltic states and other regions. So, I think this is a very serious concern, and that is why I fully support the NATO military plans that are made not only to defend NATO territory but also to deter Russia,” Brekelmans said.
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What a new and very shocking realisation.
Indeed nothing new here, just that the website had an interview with him. He’s from the same party as Mark Rutte and they have been part of the coalition for 10+ years. There will be elections in a few months, probably was just a good opportunity to get exposure because this has been their stance for a while now.