Toespraak staatssecretaris Tuinman bij NEDS 2025
De toespraak is alleen beschikbaar in het Engels.
Good morning!
Thank you, Raymond, for the warm welcome — and thanks to all of you for being here in such large numbers for the defence expo of the Benelux, right here in beautiful Rotterdam.
Yesterday, i was here as well. I met with a smaller group at a NEDS pre-event, and this was truly valuable and engaging.
I always enjoy being in Rotterdam. I’m proud of my Limburg roots, but I also feel at home in this city that lives by the motto ‘niet lullen, maar poetsen’ — ‘stop the talking and get to work’ or ‘No bullshit, just get it done’. That mentality, that rough edge — the city owes it to its port, going back to the days, as they say here, when the men were made of steel and the ships were made of wood.
The city owes a lot — if not everything — to the port. However, every upside has its downside.
Because despite all the advantages the port has brought to Rotterdam, it also carries a certain amount of risk — particularly in a world that is becoming less safe.
If tensions between Russia and the rest of Europe were to escalate further, Rotterdam could easily find itself in the eye of the storm. As a logistical hub, Rotterdam is crucial to Europe’s military strength ánd its economy. That combination makes the port of Rotterdam a place of exceptional strategic importance — and a potential target.
So the fact that power politics is 'back' — not that it ever truly left — is felt very keenly here. The topic came up again yesterday, and we all agreed: Europe must take real responsibility for its own security.
That requires a strong military, and a robust, innovative economy and defence industry. Fortunately, the urgency is widely recognised, — which led to the historic NATO decision this summer, just up the road in The Hague, to spend 5% of GDP to security, including 3.5% to Defence.
That means that money is no longer the biggest bottleneck. The time for talking is over; now it’s time for action. The armed forces must provide strong and credible deterrence, and industry must deliver, deliver, deliver.
That calls for radical industrialisation. We need to get things moving together. Not after holding endless meetings and perfecting designs down to the last detail, as has we have done until recently. But the way they do it in Ukraine: with an unforgiving enemy at your doorstep who could take your freedom, your country, your very life tomorrow — that is when you need a razor-sharp focus.
As we noted yesterday, the money, the knowledge, and the innovation are all right here.
What we need now is a different way of working together. And to spark action, yesterday I presented the group with two challenges. Two concrete propositions that would be real game changers if we could achieve them.
The first: provide us with an alternative to the Tomahawk within 3 months.
A precise deep-strike capability with a 100-kilo warhead. A missile we can use to strike a target from a distance of 1,000 kilometres away.
And the second: help us build by next year a capability that enables us to 3D-print 25% of the parts - the nuts and bolts - of several major weapon systems, such as a Leopard tank. Not just at the base, but in the field, even during a battle if needed.
In war, everything breaks down. It’s not the side with the most tanks that wins — it’s the side that’s able to repair them the fastest and keep them operational.
Both of these capabilities are urgently needed, and if we can produce them ourselves, they will boost Europe’s combat power, deterrence, and autonomy.
Today, I want to issue a similar invitation.
I want to ask you to approach the Ministry of Defence — or me personally if you want — with your challenge. Especially in the 5 areas in which the Netherlands excels, and that are at the heart of today’s event: space, quantum, smart materials, intelligent systems, and sensing.
Bring us an idea that today still sounds like science fiction. A challenge you would love to crack — an idea you’re convinced we and the rest of the world would be interested in.
A true game-changer that we can turn into our shared mission. That may sound bold, but I know that the knowledge, the technology, and the innovative power are here. And that goes for the challenges I put forward yesterday as well.
We could debate what today’s men and women are 'made of', but one thing is clear: most boats are no longer made of wood, or even steel. These days, they even come out of a 3D-printer.
Just last month, I got on such a 3D-printed boat myself — not a gimmick, but a robust, fully- fledged special forces craft.
What I’m getting at is that times are changing rapidly, and we can’t afford to miss the boat, especially the printed one.
Yesterday, I also mentioned that people often complain about the Ministry of Defence.
Too slow, too bureaucratic, hard to reach — and yes, that has often been true. But I also know, from personal experience, that the armed forces can be fast and flexible.
As a special forces operator, my team and I often spent many hours waiting, only to end up being stood down. But then suddenly — out of nowhere — the green light would be given, and off we went.
Once we’d been given the ‘go ahead’, the mission was sacred. Nothing and no one could stop us, no matter how tough the conditions were.
Dropped in the wrong place? Fine — then we’ll march a little further.
Everyone on the team knew that the person next to them would go the extra mile. That trust is what allowed us to complete missions even in the most difficult of circumstances.
That’s how I see our situation now. For a long time, we were at a standstill, but now that we have been given the green light, it will happen, one way or another.
The urgency is understood, the money and knowledge are there — all we need now is to use that momentum and to trust each other as teammates.
Full autonomy isn’t realistic for a small country such as the Netherlands — or even for Europe, as the majority are members of NATO.
But at the same time, it is important to distinguish yourself. In today’s global climate, it is essential to divide tasks and develop specializations.
Not only to provide credible deterrence, but also to remain strategically relevant — both militarily and economically.
That means developing innovative dual-use products that strengthen us militarily and boost our economy.
Luckily, that is precisely what I see happening more and more frequently. Things are really starting to move — inside Defence and beyond.
Innovative startups are getting the boost they need, thanks to us.
I see advanced Dutch drones with both military and civilian applications, top-tier components such as batteries, software, smart materials — all multifunctional.
So think of an idea that your competitors would call ‘unrealistic’ or even ‘crazy’, and then work with us to bring it to life. Since taking office, I’ve been hammering on the message: “deliver, deliver, deliver” – and I don’t intend to stop.
But today I’m adding a historical twist — for when people say that something can’t be done. In 1943, General George Patton was told the same thing – it was impossible - when he proposed a bold amphibious landing in Sicily.
His answer: “In war nothing is impossible, provided you use audacity, audacity, always audacity.”
Show audacity – guts – even when others think you’ve lost your mind. As Steve Jobs said: “If you know you’re right, don’t get distracted by others.”
I’ll be here all day. Be bold and come talk to me!
Let’s roll up our sleeves together, smash through barriers, and do the things that others think can’t be done. Not for fun — but for a safe, free, and prosperous future for all of us.
Thank you, and I’ll see you out on the expo floor!