Dutch parliamentary hopeful Thierry Baudet is one of 26 people who have signed a letter to US president Donald Trump urging him to set up a new investigation into the MH17 disaster.

The letter states that the research carried out by the Dutch safety board and joint investigation team into the downing of the Air Malaysia plane was ‘not independent and not convincing’, the Volkskrant said on Tuesday.

The paper says the request was made to Trump because he appears to lean towards Russia’s denial that one of their Buk missiles brought down the plane, which was carrying nearly 300 passengers.

The letter, sent to Trump in November, was drawn up by controversial German journalist Billy Six and Dutch journalist Joost Niemoller, the paper says. They told the Volkskrant that all 26 signatories don’t believe the plane was shot down by a Buk missile.

Private

Baudet said he had signed the letter as a private individual and that his political party Forum voor Democratie will not be campaigning for a new inquiry.

There are still unanswered questions about what happened, he said. ‘Why has the US never made the primary radar images public. Why did the Ukrainian air traffic control let the MH17 pilots change their route?,’ he said.

The Dutch foreign ministry declined to comment on the letter but said ministers are aware it had been sent. A spokesman for the families of the victims said: ‘the foundation and the families do not wish to become a plaything in all sorts of propaganda theories.’