Last year, the government fulfilled the objective of consecrating 2 % of GDP to defense, as required under NATO membership.
However, the United States government requires that the allies increase the expenses to 5 % in the coming years, more than double the current rate, which, for the high GDP countries, is equivalent to tens of thousands of dollars.
“Our defense expense surrounds 2 %, is what is in our budget. The most complicated is not to agree with an increase in this value, but to find ways to finance this increase,” Brekelmans said.
“We will have to make difficult political decisions. Theoretically, we have three options: increase taxes, reduce expenses or increase the level of debt. All are difficult political discussions, and some are already being discussed in the Netherlands,” he said.
In addition, the coalition government says that it undertakes to spend an annual average of 3.5 billion euros in military support to Ukraine.
But the newly elected government, a four -part coalition, tended to the right with the inclusion of the Geert Wilders party, the PVV or the La Libertad Party.
Wilders has opposed the military support to Ukraine several times, but Brekelmans insists that “the support of Ukraine of the Netherlands is unwavering in all areas, including the military.”
Despite the discussions often tense within the coalition, Brekelmans insists that, while in power, Haya will assign, on average, 3,500 million euros to Ukraine.
However, NATO allies are still concerned about the future role of the United States in NATO and, in general, in the support of European security.
Brekelmans confirmed that the United States has stopped presiding over the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG), an alliance of NATO countries and another twenty world that provides military teams to the Ukraine front line.
The United States exclusively played the role during the Biden Administration, under the direction of former Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, but Brekelmans confirmed to Euronews that the country definitely excluded from the role he once played with the conviction.
In addition, the newly appointed Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, alluded to a possible withdrawal of some of the 100,000 American soldiers outstanding in Europe under the auspices of NATO.
But the Netherlands Defense Minister said that although no decision has yet been announced, if it can be made, it is preferable to be part of an agreed process, in opposition to a unilateral action of the US administration.
“To date, no retirement has been announced. I think the most important thing is that in the meetings in which I participated, Pete Hegseth and others say that, for them, NATO is more relevant than ever,” I added: “I think the most important thing is to do this together and create a shared plan in which they can transfer some of their resources to other parts of the world and we can gradually assume some of these.
Despite the current concerns of the role of the United States, Brekelmans said that the future of European security requires an American participation.
ADVERTISING“We need to keep the United States aboard, since they will continue to be essential for our security. But and according to what the United States states, I think it also interests NATO to stand firm,” he said.
