Jetten calls for tougher sanctions against Russia ahead of talks

Prime minister Rob Jetten has called for Europe to present a united front and step up sanctions against Russia in order to force Vladimir Putin to negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine.

Jetten told reporters at a joint president with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy in The Hague that economic pressure was needed to persuade Putin to give ground.

His remarks came after Polish president Donald Tusk said the US, Ukraine and Russia had provisionally agreed to hold ceasefire talks in Abu Dhabi on November 4.

European leaders will not be present, but Tusk said Finnish president Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre had held a call with Putin after consulting Zelenskyy and the American side.

Zelenskyy told reporters in The Hague that it was “very important” for Europe to show unity “because Russia is focusing on how to divide us”.

“Russia is losing,” he said. “The American side is asking to find a balance and a compromise. If they need a compromise, we say: Russia is not winning. But what is very clear is they are not ending the war.

No Russian gas

“That is the problem. That’s why we need to work step by step and move Russia to end this war.”

Jetten also ruled out restarting supplies of Russian gas to Europe, an idea reportedly raised by Donald Trump’s peace envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff during talks with Zelenskyy at the weekend.

“It is clear that we need to push Putin to take the negotiations seriously,” he said.

“The way forward for Europeans, but also for Americans and others, is to put more sanctions on the Russian regime, not less. So buying Russian energy is a very stupid idea. I can assure you that there is no European leader who is willing to buy Russian gas in the next few years.

“What we want is for Russia to stop this war, and as long as they don’t we will hit them hard in their pockets with sanctions.”

Aid packages

The Dutch government announced on Wednesday it was spending another €1.2 billion on non-military aid to Ukraine over the next three years, as well as €500 million on military support in the form of air defence and drones.

The non-military aid, announced by foreign trade minister Sjoerd Sjoerdsma on a visit to Kyiv, will address “the most urgent needs” such as energy, drinking water, humanitarian aid, healthcare and medicine, as well as operations to clear landmines.

“Russia is hoping to break Ukraine’s morale, its society and its economy,” Jetten said.

“But they will not succeed. Firstly because of the great courage and resilience of the Ukrainians themselves, but also because we as allies realise that we must not let up on giving our support.”