Dear friends!
Dear members of the Dutch Parliament!
Presidents of the House and the Senate!
And all the people of the Kingdom of the Netherlands!
I’m here with you today – in person – in your Parliament, first of all, to say thank you. Thank you for the fact that the Netherlands is one of the world’s biggest defenders of life and one of the largest in Europe – together with Germany, Norway and Sweden. Thank you! And we truly feel this support – and we’ve felt it since the very, very first hours of the full-scale war.
And I thank you for every decision that helps save lives in Ukraine. The air defense systems you’ve helped us with, the investments in our defense from the Netherlands – both bilateral and thanks to your support at the EU level – and your defense packages that help our soldiers hold the line – all of this is a contribution to peace.
And I thank you for helping us move toward peace – and for your honest, heartfelt support.
Now, every single day in Ukraine starts the same way with updates on the consequences of Russian strikes. And these attacks – almost all of them – cannot be explained by anything rational or humane.
Just last night, nine Russian-Iranian Shahed drones struck an ordinary Ukrainian village in the eastern part of Ukraine, in Sumy region. And seven houses were completely destroyed. Twenty-two more were badly damaged. Our rescuers pulled three children out from under the rubble. And six people were injured. Sadly, three were killed, including a child. My deepest condolences.
That attack made no military sense. But how many were shattered!
Right now, today, in Ukraine, in the city of Dnipro, people are receiving help after a Russian ballistic missile strike. 16 people have been killed, and more than 100 have been injured. Right now, today. Many homes were affected, schools were damaged, and people were hurt – even a passenger train was hit as it was simply following its route – the missile exploded right next to it.
One way or another, life itself is the main target of these attacks – each one showing the true nature of Putin’s war.
He did the same in Chechnya, did the same in Syria. And now in Ukraine. His propagandists openly threaten other nations. Both our intelligence and yours, and in Europe think that Russia is planning hostile and potentially destructive, potentially destructive operations on NATO territory.
And we must speak honestly about what kind of operations these are, and what kind of hatred they show. Putin destroys lives – and that’s how he defines control. And if he can kill people, if he can destroy homes, blackmail others – he believes he has power. To Russia, power means being able to kill or intimidate – without that, they think that they have nothing. That’s why they turn everything into a weapon – from old cultural ties of Russia or the Soviet Union, to the energy resources they export today. For decades, Russia has built networks in other countries to prepare for sabotage and destabilization. Moscow never truly respects any alliance and always betrays its so-called “partners” – but it still builds ties with bloody regimes. With the help of such “friends”, Russia is simply improving its ability to kill. That’s why solidarity in defense is so important, so that no one ever has to face them alone.
This is not just about defending Ukraine right now – it’s about much more. Russia has no right to kill our people. Russia has no right to kill anyone in European cities – which they have already done before. Russia has no right to threaten critical infrastructure in the Baltic, North Sea or the Arctic – or in any sea in the world. Russia has no right to invest in terror or destruction in any country.
And especially, Russia has no right to even threaten the transfer of nuclear weapons to any regime in the world – including the regime in Tehran or anyone else trying to back up madness with the power of nuclear explosions.
Understanding what you do have the right to begins with knowing what you don’t. That is where the borders of others’ security and freedom really begin. Of other nations, people. Many in the world have already learned this. Russia still needs to. Russia must understand that rules exist.
Putin pretends he doesn’t understand what rules shape the modern world. And here in The Hague, I want to say this very clearly – for Putin. There is a rule – do not kill. There is a rule – do not act like a beast toward people. There is a rule – do not burn down cities and villages. There is also a rule – do not justify or sponsor terror. There is a rule – do not steal children. And if you break such rules, there must be responsibility.
It may be hard for Russia to understand. But these are the very rules that form everything – from the UN Charter and international law to our shared European way of life. A life built after World War 2 – and the safest, most decent life Europe has known in centuries.
We must protect this life. And we will protect it.
Dear friends!
Since the beginning of the full-scale war, Russia has used 28,743 Shahed drones. In this June alone, they’ve already launched 2,736 Shaheds. Russia could never have done this without its ties to the regime in Iran. And we in Ukraine could never have shot down most of these drones without your solidarity – and the support of our partners. This fact speaks for itself.
To truly end this war and build a real lasting peace, we need to act on two main directions. First – maximum isolation of Russia.
That means political isolation, sanctions of all kinds, and cutting off any cooperation that helps them survive and keep fighting.
Every scheme that keeps them going must be shut down.
And I urge you to stay strong and principled in your pressure on Russia.
We need a strong 18th EU sanctions package. We need tough, painful sanctions on Russian oil. There are many discussions right now about different options for a price cap on Russian oil. What matters most is that the price cap actually works. And when we talk about a price cap, it’s important to remember – any drop in Russia’s oil revenue helps bring peace closer. But what really hurts them – and truly limits their ability to wage war – is a cap at 30 dollars per barrel. The world needs to reach this level. Not only to help stop Russia’s war against us, but also to prevent any future military operations Russia might launch against Europe and the Alliance. War plans must become deadly expensive for Russia.
We need to truly block their tanker fleet – and cut them off from international banking.
That is what works.
And the second direction – stability in defense support.
I urge you to back all long-term programs of support and cooperation with us, with Ukraine. Russia must see that Ukraine will not be left alone – and that Europe will not back down.
And I thank the Netherlands for the new and very important defense package, especially the support for Ukraine’s own weapons production.
And it’s vital to support the need for other European countries to raise their defense spending.
Russia is stronger than any one of us alone, but it is weaker than all of us together. That’s how Putin thinks – in terms of potential. His own potential, and the potential of those he sees as targets or rivals. And if Russia sees that Europe’s combined strength leaves it no chance for aggression – there will be no aggression. If Russia feels that we are striking back hard – painfully – then peace will become the most popular topic in Moscow. And we will get there together. Together, we will get there. Knowing how Putin thinks, knowing how Russia wages war – and acting in ways that truly limit them and make it painful for them – we will bring peace closer. Let’s get this job done.
Let this war be a warning to prevent a much, much bigger one. Russia must be forced into peace.
Thank you for standing with us.
Thank you, Netherlands.
Glory to Ukraine!
