Q66 Member of Parliament Alexander Hammelburg calls the resignation of former Ukrainian envoy Ron van Dartel due to pro-Russian texts “painful and embarrassing”. In a conversation with political journalist Sophie van Leeuwen, Hammelburg wonders “how the hell could this happen?”.
Van Dartel was discredited because he wrote in a book that “Ukrainians are also Russians”. A grave insult, according to Hammelburg, “Ukrainians are Ukrainians and Ukrainians are currently being severely attacked by the Russians.” Hammelburg asks Foreign Trade Minister Schreinemacher for clarification.
“Ukrainians are Ukrainians and Ukrainians are currently being attacked hard by the Russians”
Hammelburg criticizes Van Dartel’s appointment because it further delays the shipment of Dutch aid to Ukraine. While Dutch military aid has started quickly, this has not yet been the case for humanitarian aid and recovery. The coordination of this is precisely a fundamental task of the envoy. “Now we are experiencing delays again, I think it’s really bad,” says Hammelburg.
Dutch help is indispensable
Russian bombing mainly affects civilian infrastructure, such as gas and electricity supplies. According to Hammelburg, Dutch support is “indispensable” to prevent Ukrainians from staying in the cold again next winter. Additionally, the Netherlands is helping to clear the many Russian mines in Ukraine. ‘That support is there now, but it still needs to be better coordinated. The envoy must do it and the envoy has already left.’
Despite the fact that Van Dartel appeared to have the right papers as a former diplomat and ambassador, Hammelburg argues for better selection for the new envoy. According to MP D66, when someone is ‘pulled out of retirement or from outside’, a thorough vetting must first be done for such an important position, ‘and this doesn’t seem to have happened here’.
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Source: BNR
Sharon Rock is an author and journalist who writes for 24 News Globe. She has a passion for learning about different cultures and understanding the complexities of the world. With a talent for explaining complex global issues in an accessible and engaging way, Sharon has become a respected voice in the field of world news journalism.
