Cabinet invites the Russian ambassador to the Netherlands. Prime Minister Ruti said this after his weekly question time in the House of Representatives, where he also said he is not yet talking about a Russian invasion of Ukraine, but is seeing worrying signs about it. Representatives reiterated their previous calls for severe penalties. Rutte said he wanted to quickly inform the House of Representatives of the next steps.
British Prime Minister Johnson has already spoken of a Russian invasion and Rutte thinks this fits his style, but he himself has not yet done so. Rutte believes that “in the coming hours, perhaps in the coming days” he will gain intelligence-based clarity about a possible Russian presence in Ukraine and, if necessary, adjust sanctions accordingly in consultation with the EU and allies. In his words, he keeps his cool, but stands in the House of Representatives “with anger at heart at what’s going on here.”
As Ruti said this morning, Russia’s recognition of the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics is, in his opinion, a reason to impose sanctions in any case. “What is happening here can only lead to far-reaching consequences in the form of sanctions. It should affect the elite as much as possible; the people who are involved in this decision-making process and who are also involved militarily in this.”
In response to questions, Rutte acknowledged that economic sanctions could have consequences for the Netherlands. For example, Dutch companies may notice the consequences of these penalties, which Rota considers less likely. In addition, Russia can impose sanctions itself, he says. “But sometimes the issues of international law, human rights, international order and security are more important in this part of the world.”
