Dutch to boost military capacities of eastern European partners

The Netherlands will foster the military capacities of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia and Moldova by investing an additional €8 million into a NATO fund, outgoing Foreign Minister Wopke Hoekstra (CDA/EPP) announced during the NATO summit in Vilnius on Tuesday.

Hoekstra is attending the NATO summit together with outgoing Prime Minister Mark Rutte (VVD/Renew) and Defence Minister Kajsa Ollongren (D66/Renew), with it being their first visit abroad after the Dutch cabinet collapsed last Friday over disagreements concerning migration.

“In these times of instability, it is crucial that, as NATO allies, we strengthen our security cooperation with partners in Eastern Europe,” Hoekstra stated during a press conference, according to De Telegraaf.

“Only together do we guarantee a robust and credible deterrence against Russian aggression,” he added, warning that Russia is increasingly trying to interfere in the domestic affairs of the three countries in question.

The outgoing foreign minister said that the €8 million could be used to provide the concerned countries with anti-drone systems, bolster their cybersecurity and guarantee the safe storage of arms.

The Defence and Related Security Capacity Building Initiative (DCB), as the fund is called, aims to bolster military intelligence and capacities without providing actual weapons to participating countries. Georgia and Moldova have already benefited from the fund, including funding to Iraq, Jordan and Tunisia.

The three Eastern European countries are particularly vulnerable to Russian meddling: while Russia still maintains a significant military presence in separatist regions of Moldova and Georgia, it also supports Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik, who has threatened that his Republika Srpska may leave the Bosnian federation.

Previously, the Netherlands had already ramped up their military support to Bosnia by promising to send 150 additional soldiers to the country within the EU peacekeeping mission EUFOR Althea.

(Benedikt Stöckl | EURACTIV.com)