AMSTERDAM (Reuters) – The ruling party of Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte on Monday said money concerns should play no part in the Netherlands’ response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and efforts to halt it.
Ruben Brekelmans, an MP for Rutte’s Party for Freedom and Democracy, which leads the Dutch governing coalition, accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of “excessive, criminal and unnecessary violence.”
The Dutch government should welcome Ukrainian refugees, supply weapons in the fight against Russian troops and “must do everything that is necessary. Budget must not be an issue.”
Earlier on Monday Rutte told parliament “the Netherlands, together with allies, is ready to do more if necessary.”
The Netherlands has already agreed to supply anti-tank rockets, missile defence systems and other weapons in support of Ukrainian resistance.
Rutte called for international unity to end Russian aggression in Ukraine. He said the world’s free and democratic states were “united in their rejection of this invasion and support for Ukrainian people…
“We must stop Russia’s aggression, Putin’s aggression, jointly with our partners and allies.”
(Reporting by Anthony Deutsch and Tony Sterling; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
