Dutch PM criticised by opposition over the timing of Zelenskyy visit

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte (VVD/Renew Europe) met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in The Hague on Remembrance Day on Thursday, which evoked harsh criticism of the visit’s timing from opposition forces.

After he left Finland, Zelenskyy arrived at Schiphol airport on Wednesday (3 May), just a day before the annual Remembrance Day in the Netherlands. Officially called “Remembrance of the Dead”, it commemorates Dutch casualties of war since the start of World War II.

“4 May… one day per year we commemorate OUR war victims. One day. THAT should be the focus on 4 May! Not Zelenskyy,” Caroline van der Plas, head of agrarian interest party BoerBurgerBeweging (BBB), tweeted. The right-wing party made a big splash back in March when it won the most votes of any single party during the regional elections.

“That this visit has to happen precisely NOW, I find very misplaced. I have therefore informed the Chamber president earlier this week that I will not attend the meeting with Zelenskyy,” she added.

“Every MP must decide for themselves whether they want to be at the meeting with Zelenskyy or not. But I will not be there myself in any case. As far as I am concerned, today is not about him in the Netherlands but about our own national Remembrance Day,” Geert Wilders, leader of the far-right Partij van de Vrijheid (PVV), tweeted.

Paul Cliteur, advisory board chairman for far-right Forum voor Democratie (FvD), even described Zelenskyy’s visit as a “death blow” to the remembrance festivities.

Prime Minister Rutte dismissed the harsh criticism of the visit’s timing, telling public broadcaster NOS that “[if] he [Zelenskyy] says he is coming, we will make time for it”.

“Today we remember the Dutch victims of the Second World War and the Dutch military personnel who since then have made the ultimate sacrifice in pursuit of peace and freedom. Tomorrow we celebrate the fact that we have been a free country since 1945. And that is what we want for Ukraine too. That’s why the Netherlands will continue to support Ukraine in any way we can. Every inch of the way, for as long as it takes,” he tweeted in the afternoon.

Before his meeting with Rutte and members of the Dutch parliament, Zelenskyy visited the International Criminal Court (ICC), which is seated in The Hague. Last month, the court issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin due to the war crimes committed in Ukraine by Russian troops.

“We support accountability initiatives and have sent forensic investigation teams to Ukraine. The Netherlands is ready and willing to host an investigation centre, claims register and tribunal in The Hague. These are important first steps,” Dutch Foreign Minister Wopke Hoekstra tweeted.

Zelensky has been calling for the creation of a special court for the crime of aggression, as the ICC has no jurisdiction over crimes of aggression committed by Russia since Moscow is not party to the Rome Statute.

Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo (Open VLD/Renew Europe) also went to The Hague to meet with Rutte and the Ukrainian President to discuss the situation in Ukraine.

“Tomorrow, the Netherlands celebrate their liberation from the Nazis thanks to allied support. Now it is our turn to support the liberation of Ukraine,” De Croo tweeted.

The Belgian prime minister announced that Belgium was working on a new military package, which should be announced in the coming weeks.

Belgium is also working on redirecting the €180 billion of Russian assets frozen on its territory to support Ukraine’s reconstruction and is working with the European Commission on a legal framework for this, Belga reported.

On 13 May, Zelenskyy will travel to visit German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and President Frank-Walter Steinmeier in Berlin. The next day, he should receive the Charlemagne Prize 2023 – promote a particularly outstanding commitment to understanding in Europe -on behalf of himself and the Ukrainian people.

(Anne-Sophie Gayet | EURACTIV.com, Benedikt Stöckl | EURACTIV.com )