Het neerhalen van vlucht MH17 is voor altijd een zwarte bladzijde in de Nederlandse geschiedenis. Ook dit kabinet blijft uiteraard betrokken bij de nasleep hiervan. Vanmiddag ontving ik, samen met een bredere kabinetsdelegatie, verschillende nabestaanden; het bestuur van de Stichting Vliegramp MH17 en leden van de Werkgroep Waarheidsvinding. We stonden stil bij ieders persoonlijke ervaringen en herinneringen bij deze verschrikkelijke gebeurtenis. Daarnaast spraken we over het grote belang dat ook dit kabinet hecht aan waarheidsvinding, gerechtigheid en rekenschap voor alle slachtoffers van vlucht MH17 en hun nabestaanden. Daar blijven we ons voor inzetten.

Putin wanted to show “strength” but only confirmed his weakness. Overnight, Russia carried out one of the largest terrorist attacks on Kyiv with around 600 drones, many dozens of ballistic, air-ballistic, and cruise missiles, and a dummy IRBM. Cherkasy, Kharkiv, Kropyvnytskyi, Odesa, Poltava, Sumy, and Zhytomyr regions were also under attack. As of now, at least two civilian people have been reported killed and many dozens injured. These numbers may grow. Many residential buildings have been damaged. Unable to achieve any results on the battlefield, Putin turns to terror against civilians. This strike was probably meant to demonstrate “strength” to the domestic audience, but instead it only confirms Putin’s weakness. Even Russians see that he is a loser. His “special operation” is not achieving any results. Losses are enormous, but there is not a single achieved goal. Except that there are no safe places in Russia any more, as Ukraine ramps up its special long-range sanctions. To our allies, I want to say this: it is time to double down, not back down, in supporting Ukraine and increasing pressure on the Russian regime. We call for additional defense capabilities, including to protect our sky; investment in our defense industry; increased pressure on Russia, including entry ban for Russian combatants, full use of frozen assets; strong political decisions with regard to Ukraine’s EU accession and other steps. The world has the leverage. It needs to be used right — to show Moscow that such strikes will not bring any results — and force Russia to end this war.