Dutch leader Geert Wilders, who won a majority of seats in elections three months ago but has so far failed to form a new coalition government, claimed on Monday that the Netherlands was “Europe’s fool” by accepting too many Ukrainian refugees.
Ukrainians are coming to the Netherlands in droves, not because of the war, but for free housing, free care and our jobs. Once again, we are Europe’s fool.
Wilders opposes continued military aid to Ukraine, arguing that the Netherlands needed to keep weapons to defend itself. However, outgoing Prime Minister Mark Rutte declared this weekend that support for Ukraine is guaranteed for the long term, since Wilders would not be able to find a single coalition partner willing to back his goal of cutting aid.
A potential leader Wilders reacted to an article in the local media in which the Dutch central registration facility for Ukrainian refugees reported that its capacity was reaching its limit.
A local official told the newspaper that this was mainly due to an influx of Ukrainian men travelling from other EU member states in search of work, medical care or family reunification.
Over 100,000 refugees from Ukraine have travelled to the Netherlands since the outbreak of war in Ukraine in February 2022. Under the EU’s temporary protection mechanism, Ukrainian refugees have the right to travel across the EU to live and work in any Member State until at least March 2025.
