Toespraak minister Brekelmans bij European Defence Innovation Forum (EDIF)
De toespraak is alleen beschikbaar in het Engels.
Distinguished guests, colleagues, partners,
Welcome to The Hague!
Over the past few weeks, more and more European countries are experiencing what it means if the Russian threat becomes very close.
Airspace violations by drones, Russian fighter jets entering NATO territory, unknown drones around airports; it raises some fundamental questions we need to answer.
What is the best way to respond? How do we deter Russia from pushing further and further, while at the same time avoiding major escalation? And do we have the required military means to counter these threats?
These recent developments have also been a powerful reminder of two other things.
First, the size and severity of the Russian aggression that Ukraine is fighting every day. Countries get nervous from a few drones, Ukraine faces daily attacks of hundreds of drones, combined with cruise and ballistic missiles.
The second confronting lesson is that Ukraine is way ahead of us in its ability and capacities to counter these threats effectively.
Ukraine has the technology, the drones and counter-drone systems, and the operational skills to defend its entire country against these threats.
NATO had to use F-35s and F-16s to take out cheap drones. As Minister of Defence, I am very proud of what our F-35 pilots and the entire crew have been able to do, but we need to work on more efficient ways to defend our skies. And the only way we can do this, is with the knowledge, experience and skills of Ukraine.
Every time I visited Ukraine has made a lasting impression on me.
The first time to Bucha and Irpin, where people were rebuilding their lives after the most horrible atrocities by Russia.
To Chernihiv, which had been attacked multiple times.
Yet each time Ukrainians show the strength to rebuild their homes and lives.
To Odesa, where young and brave Marine officers received their diploma from President Zelensky, stepping onto a dangerous path ahead of them.
To Kharkiv, where we visited one of the most innovative brigades, using drones and modern technology to protect this large city 40 km from the Russian border.
And Dnipro, the morning after a massive drone attack, where the regional commander told us that drones are the only way to defend the Donbas against massive numbers of Russian soldiers, ammunition and artillery.
And every time I have visited Kyiv or spoken to Ukrainians somewhere else, I am impressed by their fighting spirit and their perseverance. And on top of that, their innovative capacity.
Not only have they been able to fight a war against a much bigger enemy, but at the same time also to build a defence industry with the newest technologies.
In the rest of Europe, we need to adopt much more of this spirit. Europe must take greater responsibility for its own security. We need to act now, the stakes couldn’t be higher.
The question is: do we seize this moment to strengthen our defence industry, to ensure our security for generations to come?
Or do we allow delays, inefficiencies, and outdated procurement processes to undermine our capabilities?
I think there’s only 1 choice to be made.
1 choice and 1 chance to do it right.
Europe must rise to the occasion.
And that is why I’m very pleased to see so many of you here today.
Because security is not just a government responsibility.
The war in Ukraine is not just a war between armies.
It’s a war between industries.
Preventing war from spreading in Europe is a mission that requires strong partnerships between nations, industries and institutions.
The challenges we face demand more than words.
They require action, investment, and collaboration at an unprecedented scale.
The positive news is, we can see this cooperative spirit in many places in Europe.
Take for example the ports of Rotterdam, Antwerp and Hamburg, normally fierce competitors.
They have now joined forces to deploy drones for safety, efficiency and innovation.
Our ports are not only gateways for goods and people, but also for ideas and technology, and are vital for military mobility and our shared security.
This is the exact spirit and mindset that we need in defence.
In addition to strengthening our defence capabilities, we need to step up and speed up our support to Ukraine.
We need to ensure Ukrainians keep receiving the means to defend themselves in the short term, and to deter further Russian agression in the longer term.
Since 2022, the Netherlands has committed 13.6 billion euros in military support.
By the end of August this year, almost 8.7 billion euros of military support had been delivered – including 6.1 billion in commercial acquisitions.
We must all realize how interconnected Ukraine’s security and the security of the rest of Europe are.
Putin’s imperial ambitions go beyond the territory of Ukraine.
He wants to divide the West and undermine our alliances.
Russia is ramping up its war economy. The scale of production will only grow over the next couple of years.
He also needs to do this, in order to keep the Russian economy running.
Already now, Putin is producing more weapons, recruiting more soldiers than he needs in Ukraine.
Russia is replenishing its military reserves.
In 2030, Russia wants to be ready for a large-scale confrontation in NATO.
In short, Putin has the intent, the capabilities, and the incentives to continue his imperial aggression.
Whether in Ukraine, the Baltic States, another former Soviet region, or the rest of Europe, Putin will exploit any weakness he sees.
That’s the reality we must prepare for.
Our only option is peace through strength.
Peace through strength means we must provide Ukraine with robust security guarantees.
And we must ensure that any ceasefire or peace treaty does not become a mere pause before the next wave of aggression.
We also need to make it crystal clear to Putin that any hostility towards a NATO country will be met with overwhelming force.
That’s the only way to preserve freedom and security in Europe.
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is where you come in. You are at the heart of this effort.
Our ability to deter threats, support Ukraine, and defend our way of life depends on what the defence industry can build, develop, and deliver.
Money alone does not scare Putin.
Nor do defence systems that won’t arrive until 2030 or beyond.
Our forms, roadmaps and Excel sheets do not deter.
The only things that do deter are those that shoot, fly, and push forward when a crisis hits.
Innovation and industrial resilience are not mere bureaucratic exercises; they are matters of credibility and deterrence.
Our industrial capacity determines our ability to protect what we hold dear and prevent the spread of war in Europe.
So, what do we need to do?
We have 3 key priorities.
We must become stronger, smarter and we must act together.
First, we must become stronger.
That means achieving deterrence through mass production by pooling our resources and investing in shared capabilities.
Second, we must become smarter.
Today and tomorrow’s battlefields are shaped by innovation.
Cyber, AI, space, and quantum computing will define military superiority in the years to come.
The majority of breakthroughs in these fields occur in the private sector, in your businesses, start-ups, and scale-ups.
So third, we must act together.
NATO, the EU, and national governments must work hand in hand with industry, breaking down bureaucratic barriers, aggregating demand, standardizing weapons systems, simplifying procurement processes, and ensuring long-term contracts that provide certainty for industry.
In short, if we want to quickly integrate cutting-edge technology into our defence capabilities, it’s absolutely essential that we move beyond traditional procurement processes and create new partnerships between government and industry.
Dutch industry delivers cutting-edge technology – radars, sensors, frigates, satellites, robotics, drones, cyber and AI systems, aircraft and space components.
With around 900 defence companies, we are a relevant player.
And more importantly, we have the innovation, expertise and drive to expand our role.
To lead the way in specialist high-tech systems.
At the recent drone summit in Latvia, there were 100 European companies, of which 43 were Dutch.
This demonstrates that the Dutch industry can become an even stronger force in European defence.
A key pillar of our strategy is to strengthen partnerships with the Ukrainian defence industry.
Because if there’s one place to learn, innovate, and adapt, it’s the battlefield in Ukraine.
A week there is worth a year on a European test range.
That is why the Netherlands will be participating in the Build With Ukraine initiative.
We intend to facilitate co-production of Ukrainian systems on Dutch soil.
And you can play a crucial role in this endeavour.
By forging joint ventures between Dutch and Ukrainian companies, we are not only delivering advanced systems to the frontlines.
Because these partnerships also provide Dutch entrepreneurs with the latest insights and lessons learned from the battlefield.
We need this knowledge to secure the future of Ukraine, the Netherlands, and the broader European continent.
I would like to close with a powerful reminder.
In my office at the Ministry of Defence stands a mortar shell originating from the front line in Ukraine.
It bears these words:
“When our soldiers at the frontline fire their last round, they must believe that a new load will arrive. Thanks to you, that truck with ammunition really comes. This thought keeps us fighting.”
That is what all our efforts here are about: ensuring that when it matters most, our deliveries of military goods really reach the front line.
Today is the perfect opportunity to exchange ideas, inspire each other, and shape the way forward.
Thank you for all your efforts.