Netherlands PM meets with Biden, will send aid to Ukraine
WASHINGTON Netherlands Prime Minister Mark Rutte during a meeting with President Joe Biden on Tuesday said that the Netherlands plans to “join” the U.S. and Germany’s efforts to train and arm Ukraine with advanced Patriot defense systems.
Mr. Rutte, in a brief appearance with Mr. Biden, did not detail whether the Dutch are expected to send Patriot systems, take part in training or offer some other assistance related to deployment of Patriots. Mr. Rutte said he also spoke with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Tuesday about the Netherland’s efforts.
“We have the intention to join what you are doing with Germany on the Patriot project,” Mr. Rutte said. “I think that it’s important we join that and I discussed it also this morning with Olaf Scholz, of Germany.”
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre confirmed that Mr. Biden and Mr. Rutte discussed ongoing efforts with Patriots, but referred questions about the Netherlands’ intentions to the Dutch government, which did not immediately provide clarity.
Mr. Rutte spoke about the potential assistance as Ukrainian troops arrived at Oklahoma’s Fort Sill Army base to begin training on operating and maintaining the Patriot missile defense system. The Patriot is the most advanced surface-to-air missile system the West has provided to Ukraine to help repel Russian aerial attacks.
“Training has begun,” Pentagon spokesman Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said. “As we’ve talked about before, that training will last for several months, and train upwards of 90 to 100 Ukrainians on use of the Patriot missile system.”
Mr. Biden was also looking to use Tuesday’s meeting with Mr. Rutte to nudge the Netherlands to further limit China’s access to advanced semiconductors with export restrictions.
The Biden administration has been trying to get the Netherlands on the same page since the U.S. Commerce Department announced in October new export controls aimed at China. The restrictions are intended to limit China’s ability to access advanced computing chips, develop and maintain supercomputers, and make advanced semiconductors.
“Together we’re working on how to keep a free and open Indo Pacific, and quite frankly the challenges of China,” Mr. Biden said at the start of their meeting.
Administration officials have reasoned that the export restrictions are necessary because China can use semiconductors to create advanced military systems including weapons of mass destruction; commit human rights abuses; and improve the speed and accuracy of its military decision-making, planning and logistics.
Slowing Beijing’s access, however, will take plenty of help from allies for the U.S. export controls to have maximum impact. The Netherlands-based tech giant ASML is a major manufacturer of lithography machines that design and produce semiconductors. China is one of ASML’s biggest clients.
CEO Peter Wennink played down the impact of the U.S. export control regulations soon after the administration unveiled them last fall. ASML said last year that it expected company-wide 2022 sales to be around 21 billion euros.
The U.S. has also been in talks with Japan on tougher export restrictions to limit the sale of semiconductor manufacturing technology to China. Mr. Rutte’s visit comes after Mr. Biden hosted Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida last week for talks.
The U.S. and Japan, in a joint statement following the Oval Office meeting, said the two sides agreed to “sharpen our shared edge on economic security, including protection and promotion of critical and emerging technologies.”
China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin last week called on Japan and the Netherlands to resist U.S. pressure.