Colonel Huub Klein Schaarsberg, Deputy Commander of the 43rd Mechanized Brigade of the Royal Netherlands Army, said that Ukraine is providing the West with extremely important lesson s— primarily about adapting to modern warfare, where technology plays a decisive role.
He made these remarks in an exclusive comment to a Ukrinform correspondent in The Hague after meeting with Ukrainian military personnel in Amsterdam.
“During the meeting, they shared their thoughts with our 43rd Mechanized Brigade in the Netherlands. We took away two key lessons. The first is the need for adaptation. I must express great respect for the Ukrainian forces and how strongly they are holding out — we will always try to support them. But the lesson for us in the Netherlands is to adapt to what is currently happening in Ukraine. The second lesson is the use of technology instead of people, unlike the Russians, who rely on sheer numbers. Instead, technology should be used, because human life is more valuable than a drone or a technical system. So, we need to find technical solutions that help save lives. These are the two main conclusions we’ve drawn, and areas in which we will try to support you,” he said.
According to him, it is essential to think about how drones can be used, rather than relying solely on manpower. “It requires a combination. You need not just a tank on the battlefield, or an armored infantry fighting vehicle or a fighter jet, you also need to be able to adapt and use drones. And we can learn that too,” added Huub Klein Schaarsberg.
He also noted that the Ukrainian army is adapting very quickly and has its own technologies. “We, as the Netherlands and NATO, can learn from that. And we can support Ukraine in mass production of drones. I know the Netherlands is already providing support to Ukraine specifically in this area,” the Dutch Army Colonel said.
He emphasized that one of the key advantages of the Ukrainian army is its mental readiness to defend its own land.
“The main reason why you’re still resisting and withstanding all the pressure from Russia is your mentality. You’re fighting for your country, whereas a Russian soldier fights only because he’s forced to. He’s ordered to, and if he doesn’t comply, he can simply be killed. That’s the key difference. You know what you’re fighting for, because you’re fighting for your land. And I want to express respect to all the brave Ukrainian soldiers who are still holding on. This is not a fight of a day or a month — it’s a long-term struggle,” he said.
In his view, the West needs to rethink its approach to supporting Ukraine. Specifically, rather than sending a wide variety of weapons, it should coordinate deliveries of standardized equipment to avoid logistical chaos and reduce the need for separate training on each system.
“The biggest problem is that all the weaponry Ukraine receives is extremely varied. For example, different types of tanks, spare parts, and so on. So, Europe needs to work more closely together, because for Ukraine it’s a logistical nightmare to receive 20–30 different types of equipment, each requiring separate training, maintenance, and parts. This is also part of the adaptation happening in Ukraine — not only conceptually, but mentally, and in the use of the latest technologies, including drones. I deeply value and respect this,” he said.
As Ukrinform reported, on Friday the Dutch government endorsed NATO’s new defense spending target of 5% of GDP.
Source: Netherlands Army colonel: Ukraine teaching West how to fight modern wars
