The chief of the Defense Staff of the Netherlands, Onno Eichelsheim, warned this Tuesday that the country must be ready "for a large-scale conflict."
"We must prepare for a large-scale conflict, while we cannot say for certain what it will look like," said the Dutch Air Force general during a conference dedicated to analyzing the future of war.
In his speech, Eichelsheim detailed the demands that such a scenario poses to the Dutch Armed Forces, emphasizing that Ukraine "shows how quickly reality can catch up with assumptions."
"Our combat capability also depends on our ability to learn and adapt. That requires space to quickly test new means and apply the lessons of combat," he pointed out, insisting on the need to modernize and adjust military means quickly.
Eichelsheim stressed that the Netherlands must be prepared "for a changing adversary and strengthen its deterrence," emphasizing the importance of anticipating evolving threats.
The top official of the Dutch Armed Forces aligns himself with other European military leaders who have been warning that the continent could face a military conflict by the end of this decade, in a context marked by the increasing hostility of Russia towards Europe and by the suspicion that it is behind a recent wave of sabotage against several European countries.