The government of Prime Minister Alexander De Croo “did not want to add fuel to the fire,” and Kiev’s official request was ignored, according to De Standaard newspaper.
The newspaper reports that the Ukrainian government a few weeks ago made a formal request to the Belgian government to send 5,000 people, helmets, body armor, weapons and ammunition.
Prime Minister Alexander De Croo told Radio 1 that the cabinet had decided by consensus not to respond to the request. “We want to act as much as possible together with other European countries,” “De Standaard” quotes the head of government on the radio.
Newspaper sources report that the Belgian cabinet discussed the issue at a meeting on 31 January. The main argument against helping Ukraine was that the government constantly hoped that the conflict could be resolved through diplomacy.
In turn, the head of the government of the Netherlands, Mark Rutte, said on Tuesday at a press conference on the latest developments in the east that his government would not send troops to Ukraine, since it is not a member of NATO. At the same time, Rutte believes that Putin’s movement “cannot remain unanswered.”
Rutte said sanctions could be imposed if another country’s sovereignty is violated. “However, I would call sending an army highly unlikely,” the Prime Minister said.
The recognition of the rebellious republics by Russia is, according to the head of government, “an unacceptable fact” and will lead to the imposition of sanctions against this country. “This is a direct violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine,” Rutte said.
If Moscow intervenes on a larger military scale, there will be additional sanctions that Russia will “feel strongly.”