Dutch defense minister: Our actions in coming weeks will shape next five to ten years

Brekelmans made these remarks at the Paris conference on Tuesday, March 11, Ukrinform reports, citing The Guardian.

“President Zelensky should not have to agree to a deal that would result in some sort of interbellum, with aggression constantly looming on the horizon. He needs to negotiate from a position of strength,” he said.

Brekelmans stressed that Putin has made very clear that Ukraine is not his final stop on his campaign to the imperial past.

“He will continue his aggressive, aggressive efforts to increase the influence and the territory of the Russian Empire towards his dream to reestablish a Russkiy Mir, or a Russian world. It’s a dream for Putin, and it’s a nightmare for the rest of Europe,” he said.

The minister added that “it’s time we let Putin wake up to the fact that his dreams do not match reality.” Regardless of how brutal the war has become, “Ukrainians cannot be silenced,” he added.

“Ukrainians are fighting at the frontline of our freedom and security against Russian tyranny and aggression. It’s the frontline of the freedom and security of Europe,” Brekelmans said.

He also alluded to Donald Trump’s recent comments about NATO, stating that the military alliance was established in 1949 to prevent future wars through unified strength.

“And nowadays, when we walk towards the entrance of the NATO headquarters, we pass a large piece of the Berlin Wall on the left side, it’s a symbol of the end of the Cold War, [and] to the right side, we see a twisted and mangled piece of steel from the twin towers, a reminder of 9/11 and a reminder of the impact of terrorism. It’s also a reminder of our American allies asking for help, and a reminder of European allies answering that call,” the Dutch minister said.

He concluded by questioning what relics of war will come to stand next to these five to ten years from now.

“Will it be a piece of concrete from an apartment building in Kharkiv? Will it be a section of an internet cable from the North Sea? It’s impossible to predict, but what I do already know is that our actions in these coming days and coming weeks will be crucial in shaping the next five to ten years,” Brekelmans said.

On March 11, Ukrainian and U.S. delegations began talks in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, with key discussions focusing on the path to peace and U.S.-Ukraine relations.