Coalition in the Netherlands names Russia as key threat to national security
The new ruling coalition in the Netherlands, consisting of the liberal D66 party, the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) and the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), has declared Russia one of the key threats to the country's national security. The relevant provisions are contained in the coalition agreement for 2026-2030, published on 30 January.
The document states that the Netherlands must be protected from a wide range of risks, including cyberattacks on critical companies, suspicious drone flights, subversive crime and the recruitment of young people by criminal networks. Particular attention is paid to the growth of geopolitical uncertainty and the number of hybrid, military and terrorist threats.
The authors of the agreement emphasise that the most obvious risk is further escalation between Russia and the West. The coalition points out that Moscow is already engaged in hybrid activities, including sabotage, espionage and digital attacks, which directly affect the security environment in Europe.
In addition, the document states that the Netherlands is increasingly becoming the target of unwanted transfers of knowledge and technology from certain countries, in particular China and Iran. The country's national security also remains under pressure from terrorist threats and the normalisation of right-wing extremist ideas in society.
