The Ukrainian president held a minute of silence on Thursday morning during his speech at the World Forum in The Hague for all victims of Russian aggression. In doing so, he paid explicit attention to the victims of the MH17 air disaster. That plane, which mainly contained Dutch people, was shot down in July 2014 by a Russian missile.
In his speech, Zelensky said, among other things, that he believes that ‘Russian aggressors should be tried in The Hague by a special tribunal’.
Whether there will be such a Ukraine tribunal is not yet certain. In addition to Ukraine, the United States also wants such a court. But there is already an International Criminal Court (the ICC), and other countries believe that war crimes should be dealt with there. The investigation into war crimes in Ukraine is currently being conducted from The Hague. Zelensky also visited the ICC on Thursday morning.
The Ukrainian president concluded his speech with an appeal to remember the Ukrainians ‘who should still be alive’ during Remembrance Day on Thursday evening.
Meeting with members of parliament
Around 9 a.m., the Ukrainian leader also briefly visited the Senate building. He was welcomed at Lange Voorhout by the President of the Senate, Jan Anthonie Bruijn, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Vera Bergkamp.
In his first speech to members of the Senate and House of Representatives, Zelensky asked for support for his country’s NATO membership. He said it is clear that Ukraine cannot join as long as there is a war going on, but that he would like his country’s security to be guaranteed. In July there will be a NATO summit in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius.
The Ukrainian leader also asked for weapons again, referring to the delivery of armored howitzers by the Netherlands last year. Last year, the Netherlands supplied more than one billion euros worth of military equipment to Ukraine.
Zelensky also thanked the MPs and the Netherlands for all their support. “The Netherlands defends freedom, the rule of law and democracy,” he said.
Visit
It is Zelensky’s first visit to the Netherlands since the war in Ukraine broke out. He has recently visited Great Britain, France and Poland, among others. The first time Zelensky left his country since the Russian invasion was in December. Then he visited the United States. Earlier Wednesday, Zelensky already had talks with leaders from the Scandinavian countries and Iceland in the Finnish capital Helsinki.
Several cabinet members, including Prime Minister Mark Rutte, have already traveled to Kyiv several times to consult with Zelensky. Zelensky has already addressed the House of Representatives online. The Netherlands has supported its country since the Russian invasion with weapons, money and knowledge.
The fact that Zelensky is coming to the Netherlands on the day of Remembrance Day caused some commotion. Members of Parliament Caroline van der Plas and Geert Wilders, among others, believe that the day should revolve around Dutch war victims, not those from Ukraine. Their posts were also criticized again.
The Ukrainian president will have no role in the Remembrance Day on Dam Square, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported on Thursday morning.
Identify
Due to the visit, there is an increased police presence around the Marriott Hotel in The Hague. Calamity site Regio15 reports that everyone in the vicinity of the hotel had to identify themselves on Wednesday evening. Blockades have also been set up at the Catshuis. An information officer says on behalf of the mayor that no special emergency regulations are in force.
“Visitors are allowed to go near the House of Representatives. Of course there is always consultation in the triangle (chief public prosecutor in The Hague, police chief Paul van Musscher and mayor Jan van Zanen).” Intersections will be closed during movements, as is the case with every head of state.
About the risks associated with the special visit, the spokesperson says: “Of course we do not make any statements about security, but believe me that it has been very well thought out.”
Military support
This year, the government is releasing 2.5 billion euros to support Ukraine, which has been attacked by Russia since February 24 last year. The vast majority of the amount is intended for military support. This is mainly done by buying directly from the arms industry. Dutch soldiers also train Ukrainians.
In addition, the Netherlands is one of the instigators of a tribunal where those responsible for the war should stand trial. Dutch Marechaussees search under the flag of the ICC in Ukraine for evidence of war crimes.
On Wednesday, Russia claimed a drone from Ukraine attacked the Kremlin in the Russian capital Moscow. Zelensky denied that his country carried out the attack. “We are fighting on our own territory,” he declared.
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2023-05-04 09:45:00
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