Toespraak minister Brekelmans bij Roundtable REAIM
De toespraak is alleen beschikbaar in het Engels.
Your Excellencies, colleagues, distinguished guests,
As Minister of Defence of the Netherlands, initiator of the first REAIM Conference and co-host of this third, I am deeply encouraged to see so many countries gathered here once again. Your presence sends a clear message: REAIM is alive, growing stronger, and here to stay.
Let me take you to June 1st, 2025. On that day, something remarkable happened. Hidden beneath the roofs of seemingly ordinary micro-homes in Russia, 117 drones took off. Built in Ukraine and smuggled across the border, they had been trained with artificial intelligence to recognize strategic bombers. They navigated autonomously, identified their targets, and struck with precision. The outcome is well known: Ukraine’s Operation Spiderweb delivered a devastating blow to Russia’s bomber fleet.
This is the reality of AI in warfare today. Much of AI’s impact is less visible, though no less powerful. AI enables data-driven decisions about when – and when not – to act. AI strengthens every aspect of defence: from military platforms to logistics, training, planning, and operations. At its best, AI fosters peace and international security, helping commanders limit collateral damage and, above all, protect the men and women in the field.
Yet we must be honest about the risks. AI can misidentify targets, amplify errors, blur accountability, and escalate situations beyond human control. Algorithms have no conscience. They do not feel doubt, responsibility, or mercy. Misalignment, algorithmic hallucinations, cyber vulnerabilities, bias, and data leaks are all legitimate concerns. Entrusting machines with life-or-death decisions without proper human agency and control is not just risky – it is unacceptable. And this technology is not confined to states. Malign actors are already using AI to threaten our people, our digital infrastructure, and our values.
That is why the Netherlands initiated the first REAIM Summit in The Hague in 2023, co-hosted the second summit in Seoul in 2024, and is now proudly co-hosting this dialogue with the Republic of Korea. I would like to thank Minister Albares and the Kingdom of Spain for making this third summit possible and carrying our dialogue forward.
Since 2023, we have built up momentum. We brought governments, industry, civil society, and experts together. This has taken us from the Call to Action in The Hague, which was endorsed by over 50 countries, to the Blueprint for Action in Seoul, which had more than 90 participants, and finally to the first resolutions on military AI adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2024 and 2025.
Now we must move from theory to practice. It is time to turn principles into concrete actions, and commitments into real-world impact.
First: everything starts with trust. For AI to be trustworthy, it must be lawful, predictable, and understandable. Trusted in the field (by the individual warfighter), trusted by its developers, and trusted between states. This requires innovation to be aligned with real-world training. Shared doctrines must facilitate human control as well as compliance with international law.
Second, we must continue to invest in knowledge. Building on the work of the Global Commission on REAIM, let us create a strong, multi-stakeholder network of expertise. Not just between armed forces and ministries – but also with industry, civil society, academia, international organisations.
And third, we must stay realistic. Global dialogue is vital, but regulation must be practical. AI’s dual-use character makes regulation complex: perspectives differ, and geopolitics matter. Progress requires ambition grounded in reality.
Dear colleagues,
If used wisely, AI can save lives, improve decision-making, and protect our values. But only if we act with care, cooperation, and clarity. The Netherlands remains committed to driving REAIM, learning, and building partnerships – so that military AI serves humanity, rather than endangering it. Together, we can protect our people and uphold the values we share.
Thank you.