Column Rob de Wijk | Rutte embraced his role as a Trump sycophant and skilfully navigated his way around the pitfalls
After Trump's customary accusations and insults, the NATO summit could finally begin. The president berated European countries, particularly Spain, for abandoning the United States during his war against Iran, writes Rob de Wijk in his column for Trouw. Once again, he claimed that Americans pay for everything while Europeans are freeloaders. And once again, he asserted a claim to Greenland, arguing that Denmark does not defend the island—and cannot do so because Hitler once occupied the country in a single day.
Column Rob de Wijk | The Ministry of Defence’s memorandum is particularly vague
According to assessments by, among others, the German intelligence service, Russia will be ready for large-scale aggression against one or more NATO countries by 2028 or 2030, writes Rob de Wijk in his column for Trouw. Dutch intelligence agencies estimate that a limited war against NATO could become possible within a year after the end of the war in Ukraine. Last week, the Polish and Latvian intelligence services reported that Russia is preparing limited military incursions against the Baltic states to test NATO's resolve. With a U.S. president who continues to cast doubt on NATO, it is only logical that Putin might decide to test the Alliance.
Column Energiepodium: Energie als wapen
De president die bedelde om de Nobelprijs voor de vrede, werd oorlogspresident en joeg de energieprijzen op, stelt Rob de Wijk in zijn column voor Energiepodium. Wat een korte klap had moeten worden om het Iraanse regime tot inkeer te brengen, ontaardde in een strijd waarbij zowel de Amerikanen als de Iraniërs de Straat van Hormuz blokkeerden. Daardoor kwamen de exporten van olie, olieproducten en LNG stil te liggen en ontstond de grootste energiecrisis sinds 1973.
