Dutch FM Says China Is Directly Affecting European Security Over Trade With Russia

Trade between China and Russia has been "directly affecting" European security, said Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp to Reuters on November 18, whose office is responsible for overseeing export restrictions on leading computer chip manufacturer ASML.

NATO considers China a "decisive enabler" of Russia in its war against Ukraine, as Chinese companies are supplying goods that are ultimately used as components in Russian weaponry, including drones, Caspar Veldkamp stated ahead of a meeting with EU foreign ministers in Brussels.

"I raised this twice with the Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and I think as Europeans we should all do this, because this is something that China should be realizing: it is directly affecting European security," Veldkamp said.

In cooperation with the United States, the Dutch government has rolled out a series of progressively tighter export restrictions preventing ASML from shipping its most advanced technology to Chinese chipmakers.

In partnership with the United States, the Dutch government has implemented increasingly strict export restrictions, blocking ASML from supplying its most advanced technology to Chinese chip manufacturers.

On November 18, Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence (HUR) published a detailed review of Russia’s Gerbera drone, underscoring its reliance on foreign components despite claims of self-sufficiency.