Dutch defense chief says supporting Ukraine is 'very cheap way' to ensure Russia not threat to NATO

By Burak Bir

LONDON (AA) - Support for Ukraine against Russia is a very cheap way to make sure Moscow does not pose a threat to NATO, the Netherlands' defense minister said Tuesday.

"There are of course reasons to worry," Kajsa Ollongren said at the Warsaw Security Forum in response to a question about how optimistic she is that the West can sustain support for as long as it takes, fearing that US support could be stopped because of election-related domestic politics.

Ollongren, however, said NATO allies have accelerated support which "surprised Ukraine, which surely surprised (Russian President Vladimir) Putin and the Kremlin."

"We also surprised ourselves I think that what we are capable of a lot, and we have proven that in the past year and a half, and the only thing we have to do is keep it up," she said.

Ollongren said making sure the public realizes that the Russian war is not about Ukraine but about Europe's safety is as important as continuing support to Ukraine.

Mentioning developments "overseas," referring to the US, Ollongren said it is “worrying and also I think we have to address that worry."

"We cannot pretend that we'll just wait and see how the American elections are going," she said, adding that European politicians have to engage in the dialogue with American colleagues and friends.

"Because they have the same interest in a way of course, supporting Ukraine is a very cheap way to make sure that Russia with this regime is not a threat to the NATO alliance. And it's vital to continue that support," she said.

The defense minister highlighted that if the US support for Ukraine falls, that would be "substantial."