The talks follow French President Emmanuel Macron’s announcement in early March of a strategic dialogue with several European countries. The Netherlands accepted his offer in line with its coalition agreement.
Senior French government officials met representatives from the Dutch ministries of General Affairs, Defence and Foreign Affairs. They examined options for strengthening the European dimension of deterrence.
The Dutch government said Russia’s war against Ukraine had fundamentally worsened Europe’s security situation. It cited the need for Europe to take greater responsibility for its own security as the reason for engaging with France.
The meeting was the first high-level discussion between the two countries under this initiative. The ministry did not announce specific military commitments or a date for further talks.
Source: Ministry of Defence of the Netherlands (press release).
