In a diplomatic embarrassment for the Dutch government, a special envoy appointed only three weeks ago to oversee its role in the rebuilding of Ukraine has been forced to resign after making pro-Russia comments in a book just published.
The book by Gerard Dielessen, entitled Lowering the Bar Doesn’t Mean You Jump Any Higher, quotes Ron van Dartel, a veteran diplomat, as saying: “Ukrainians are Russians as well. We should not forget this. It is reality.”
Mr van Dartel (70), formerly Dutch ambassador to Russia, Poland, Serbia, and the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), among other postings, also expresses the view that many international politicians, unnamed, have been “naive” in their approach to Moscow.
He suggests that support for President Vladimir Putin at home and among some Russians living in Europe is stronger than many outside the country believe – but that the view of outsiders is frequently coloured by “wishful thinking” about change.
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However, in an interview given some time ago while the book was in preparation, van Dartel says Russians are “pragmatic” and as a result “they adapt”.
The response from the department of foreign affairs in The Hague on Friday was swift, wholly negative and definitive.
It said neither it nor the government had been aware that Mr van Dartel had given the interview.
There was no suggestion by the department that the diplomat’s views were other than accurately reported by the author.
A brief statement went on: “Van Dartel realises that his comments mean he can no longer function credibly. He has therefore decided to resign with immediate effect.”
Speaking on behalf of prime minister Mark Rutte’s government, minister for foreign trade and development co-operation Liesje Schreinemacher said she respected the diplomat’s decision and accepted his resignation.
Mr van Dartel was appointed at the end of March as special envoy for business and reconstruction in Ukraine, a post designed to cement relationships between the Kyiv government and companies in the Netherlands interested in the investing in Ukraine’s post-war future.
His Russia comments were first raised by D66 MP, Alexander Hammelburg, who described them as “painful and embarrassing”.
Mr Hammelburg also noted that while Dutch military aid had “got off to a quick start”, and Dutch support was “indispensable”, recovery aid aimed at rebuilding needed to be better co-ordinated.
