The Dutch government is 'future-proofing' its military in an increasingly volatile world

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The Netherlands' defense ministry announced a major plan to “future-proof” the country's military on Thursday, including buying more F-35 fighter jets and the return of a Dutch tank battalion as it gears up to face a world of expanding threats. The...

New Dutch leader bans phones in Cabinet meetings to dial back espionage threat

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The new Dutch prime minister has banned cell phones and other mobile devices from the weekly meetings of his Cabinet in a move aimed at dialing back the risk of digital eavesdropping by spies. “The threat of espionage is timeless. Electronic devices,...

Jens Stoltenberg will wrap up a NATO summit for a final time at the helm

BRUSSELS (AP) — Jens Stoltenberg will bid farewell to NATO leaders on Thursday after chairing his final summit as the military alliance’s top civilian official, bringing an unofficial end to a decade at the helm during one of the most tumultuous periods in its history. ...

New Dutch leader pledges to cut immigration as the opposition vows to root out racists in cabinet

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof gave his first speech to parliament on Wednesday, pledging that he will work hard at one of his new goverment’s main aims: reducing immigration. “The biggest of those concerns is asylum and migration. That is the...

Dutch king swears in a new government 7 months after far-right party won elections

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — A new Dutch government was sworn into office Tuesday on promises to impose strict new limits on immigration, more than seven months after elections dominated by a far-right, anti-Islam party. While its policies seem largely inward-looking, the new...

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte urges support for Ukraine, EU and NATO in his farewell speech

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Long-serving Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte urged his country to support Ukraine and international cooperation in his final address to his compatriots Sunday, as an inward-looking new government is set to take over the Netherlands in two days. “It...

Mark Rutte is named NATO chief. He'll need all his consensus-building skills from Dutch politics

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Over the course of more than a dozen years at the top of Dutch politics, Mark Rutte got to know a thing or two about finding consensus among fractious coalition partners. Now he will bring the experience of leading four Dutch multiparty governments to the...

NATO appoints outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte as its next secretary-general

BRUSSELS (AP) — NATO appointed Mark Rutte as its next secretary-general on Wednesday, putting the outgoing Dutch prime minister in charge of the world’s biggest security organization at a critical time for European security as war rages in Ukraine. Rutte’s appointment was...

NATO appoints Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte as its next secretary general at a critical time for European security

US thanks Romania for its leader exiting the NATO leadership race to clear the way for Rutte

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration on Friday thanked Romania for its president withdrawing from the race to lead NATO, saying the move would help ensure the Western military alliance stays properly focused. Secretary of State Antony Blinken delivered the message to his...