Brekelmans addressed the peace deal that American President Donald Trump wants to enforce. This through additional sanctions against Russia or reduced military support for Ukraine.
The minister fears a bad peace agreement. This would not only be a blow to Ukraine but also a danger to Europe. “After more than 3 years of war, the conclusion is that aggression wins in Europe,” he said. “We must realize how dangerous that is.” According to Brekelmans, it is a signal for other autocratic leaders that borders can be moved with violence. That international agreements are just paper promises.”
Aggression
Brekelmans is convinced that Putin will try again. “The aggression of Russia is like a lava flow. Devastating, steadily advancing, always looking for a place to break through. He will invade Ukraine again or another former Soviet republic. The Baltic States perhaps, now NATO countries.”
But there are more concerns. “If aggression pays off, it could encourage China to be more aggressive towards Taiwan; Iran to be more aggressive in the Middle East.” Brekelmans says that Europe is not a priority for America. “They want to focus primarily on domestic security, so more soldiers at the border with Mexico. And secondly, focus on countering China. Only then does Europe come into play, among other priorities like Israel and the Middle East. Americans therefore no longer talk about fairly sharing the burden within NATO, but about shifting the burden. From burden-sharing to burden-shifting.
“How do we keep Europe free and safe?”
According to Brekelmans, we can think of all sorts of things about this, “but it is the new reality.” He then outlines 3 possibilities to keep Europe, thus the Netherlands and also Ukraine, free and safe. He advocates for continuing military support for Ukraine unabated. “Moreover, European countries must add a significant amount on top. Especially now. The stronger Ukraine is on the battlefield, the greater the chance of a just and sustainable peace agreement.” Europe must further prevent more concessions being made to Russia.
“Then a weak deal arises, which lays the groundwork for more Russian aggression and war. Therefore, we must continue to support Ukraine militarily.” Furthermore, the minister wants Ukraine to receive robust security guarantees. “Robust means that during a ceasefire or peace deal, Putin is maximally discouraged from starting a new war,” he explains. Brekelmans believes this can only be done if the mandate of any peacekeeping forces is crystal clear, as Putin will test any peace deal. And Putin must find a stronger opponent in case of escalation.
Strong Statements
For a free and safe Europe, Brekelmans sees it as necessary for the continent to quickly get and maintain its defense and deterrence in order. Then Putin will not dare to attack any of the NATO allies in Europe. Regarding the state of NATO, Brekelmans is clear. “Amidst all the strong statements, the American Secretary of Defense also said that NATO is more relevant to the United States than ever. The US also sees a buildup of threats coming its way. Even for the US, a so-called force multiplier of 31 countries is unique. 32 allies standing side by side also makes the US stronger against Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea.”
However, NATOs combat power must increase to remain deterrent. Brekelmans: “To speak in American terms: make NATO great again.”
Resilient Society
The minister further made an urgent request to give the military organization more space to grow. He also emphasized the importance of a resilient society once again. “Because if NATO really goes to war, the armed forces will only hold up if the entire society is involved and resilient. Society must support defense: with transport and logistics, with hospital capacity in the country, with industrial production, with universities and entrepreneurs helping with military innovations, with companies that guarantee our soldiers electricity, communication, and food, and with employers ensuring that their employees can serve as reservists,” he sums up.
Furthermore, Brekelmans advocated for a stronger defense industry and explained its importance.