Dutch Defense Minister calls on Europe to be "ready for battle"

The head of the Dutch Ministry of Defense, Keesa Ollongren, believes that European countries should strengthen their armed forces to be "ready for battle."

This was stated in her speech at a security conference in Berlin, which Olongren posted on Twitter (X).

The head of the defense ministry noted that no country can cope with modern security threats alone.

"We Europeans must step up, build a reliable European defense, and strengthen our position as a key pillar within NATO," she said.

She noted that there have been no wars in the EU, so EU membership is "both a reward and a promise of peace and stability" for countries.

"To keep it that way, we must act now. Europe must relearn how to deter. We must make long-term, structural investments in strengthening our armed forces. We must be 'ready for battle'," Ollongren emphasized.

Author - Olena Madiak, 01/12/2023