Netherlands officially recognise Russia as an enemy and note threat of clash with NATO

Amsterdam's shift in strategic outlook

The Dutch government has officially recorded a change in its stance towards Russia. The country no longer views Moscow solely as an aggressor but now defines it as an enemy. This position was voiced by Dutch Defence Minister Dilan Yeşilgöz-Zegerius, who emphasised that Moscow is preparing for a possible conflict with NATO.

Assessment of threats and pressure methods

According to Yeşilgöz-Zegerius, Russia is actively trying to test the resilience of Western societies. To this end, she said, sabotage operations, incidents involving the use of unmanned aerial vehicles, and intimidation methods are being used.

«Росія – наш ворог. І ні, це не означає, що ми перебуваємо у стані війни. Але до безтурботного миру також далеко» ("Russia is our enemy. And no, that does not mean we are in a state of war. But it is also far from a carefree peace"), the Defence Minister stressed.

Reaction from neighbouring states and Asia

Similar security concerns are being voiced in other countries as well. In November 2025, Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski, speaking in the Sejm, stated that he believed Russian special services were organising sabotage on Polish territory. At the same time, he refrained from directly calling Russia an enemy at that time.

The threat from Moscow is also being noted in Japan. In its 2026 Defence White Paper, the Japanese Ministry of Defence stated that Russia's aggression against Ukraine is a violation of international law. The document emphasises that Russia's military activities in Europe constitute one of the most serious and direct threats to the region's security.

In addition, Tokyo expresses concern over Russia's military activities near Japan.