Dutch king Willem-Alexander has said “peace and harmony can no longer be taken for granted” and that the Netherlands should be “armed to the teeth” to stay safe.

The king’s warning came in a speech made during a visit to the Luitenant-generaal Betskazerne military base in Vredepeel in Limburg, where Ukrainian troops are being trained.

“Perhaps we have been taking freedom and peace for granted, thinking they would last forever,” he said. “Unfortunately, Ukraine and other conflicts show that that is no longer the case. To continue to live in peace and security, we must be prepared.”

The Netherlands must rearm, the king said, and the country’s defence industry must be able to up production, ready to face conflict, he said following talks with military officials and representatives of the Dutch weapons industry.

The king, who, on his accession to the throne no longer has a military rank,  said earlier that Europe needed a “new leadership for a stronger European Union” and that efforts must continue to maintain trans-Atlantic cooperation to keep Europe safe.

His comments come in the wake of a warning from the commander of the armed forces, Onno Eichelsheim, who said earlier this month the Dutch armed forces must accelerate their readiness for possible deployment.

In an internal message, he told all 67,000 military personnel and staff that Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine was the immediate reason for the call to action. “Russia is testing our alertness, studying our preparedness and assessing our readiness,” Eichelsheim said. “The threat is increasing.”