Latest Mark Rutte News
France presses China on trade and Ukraine ahead of upcoming Xi Jinping visit
BEIJING (AP) — The French foreign minister pressed China on trade issues and the war in Ukraine on Monday ahead of a planned visit to France by Chinese leader Xi Jinping later this spring. Stéphane Séjourné, in talks with his counterpart Wang Yi in the Chinese capital, largely...
Chinese leader Xi tells Dutch PM that restricting technology access won't stop China's advance
BEIJING (AP) — Chinese leader Xi Jinping told visiting Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte on Wednesday that attempts to restrict China's access to technology will not stop the country's advance. The Netherlands imposed export licensing requirements in 2023 on the sale of machinery...
EU leaders agree on opening membership talks with Bosnia, but with many strings attached
BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union leaders agreed in principle Thursday to open membership negotiations with Bosnia-Herzegovina, even though the Western Balkan country must still do a lot of work before talks can begin. The 27 leaders gave the political green light at a summit in...
Ukraine official says Russia massing forces around a key city in the country's east
KYIV (AP) — Russia is accumulating large forces around Chasiv Yar in eastern Ukraine as it seeks to make a breakthrough in the Donetsk region, a Ukrainian official said Friday. Illia Yevlash, spokesperson for the operational group overseeing the eastern front line, told Radio Free...
Dutch appeals court orders Netherlands to stop exports of F-35 parts to Israel, citing war in Gaza
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — An appeals court ordered the Dutch government on Monday to halt the export of F-35 fighter jet parts to Israel, citing a clear risk of violations of international law. A trio of human rights organizations brought a civil suit against the Netherlands...
Former Dutch Prime Minister Dries van Agt and his wife die 'hand in hand' by euthanasia at age 93
THE HAGUE (AP) — Dries van Agt, the Christian Democrat prime minister of the Netherlands from 1977 until 1982, has died by euthanasia, “hand in hand” together with his wife, according to the human rights organization he founded. They both were 93. The news was made public on...
The Netherlands is having trouble forming a new far-right government. Here's why
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Talks to form a far right-led government in the Netherlands have come to a premature end, for now, leaving the Netherlands in limbo amid a stalled move to build a political coalition around anti-Islam lawmaker Geert Wilders. Wilders' Party for...
EU officials urge Bosnia to press ahead with reform in order to start accession negotiations
SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina (AP) — The European Commission chief and the prime ministers of the Netherlands and Croatia told Bosnia on Tuesday to press on with reforms and seize a chance to begin accession negotiations with the European Union before the 27-nation block holds a parliamentary vote...
Outgoing Dutch PM begins his Bosnia visit at memorial to Srebrenica genocide victims
SREBRENICA, Bosnia-Herzegovina (AP) — Outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte on Monday began a two-day visit to Bosnia with a stop in Srebrenica, where he paid his respects to victims of the 1995 genocide. The Netherlands has long wrestled with the legacy of the massacre,...
Immigration issue challenges delicate talks to form new Dutch government
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Delicate talks to create a new Dutch government around anti-Islam firebrand Geert Wilders suffered a setback Wednesday when a lingering immigration issue divided the parties involved in brokering a coalition. “We have a problem,” Wilders told...
