Ukraine Has Europe’s Strongest Army, Says Former Dutch Defense Minister

In a recent interview, former Dutch Defense Minister Kajsa Ollongren stated that the Armed Forces of Ukraine have become the strongest army in Europe, and the world must stop fearing the “red lines” drawn by Vladimir Putin. She also emphasized that Western countries should learn from Ukraine’s military experience.

Ollongren made these remarks in an interview with LIGA.net on the sidelines of the Yalta European Strategy (YES) forum.

“The Ukrainian Armed Forces are the strongest army in Europe, and this is a fact that we must acknowledge. Their training, resilience, and ability to adapt to various conditions make them unbeatable,” she said.

Additionally, the former defense minister believes that the Ukrainian military’s operation in the Kursk region will be studied in military academies worldwide. “This operation was brilliantly organized: the tactics, secrecy, and use of different systems. I think it will be dissected in school textbooks and military academies around the world,” Ollongren emphasized.

According to Ollongren, the West should not fear the red lines set by Russia. “Any of Putin’s red lines exist only in our heads. There is no real boundary we cannot cross to support Ukraine,” she stated.

Ollongren also highlighted Ukraine’s innovative approach to unmanned systems in its defense industry. “Ukraine demonstrates creativity and innovation in the field of drones, and this is an area where the Netherlands also has experience. We are already working on joint projects and enterprises,” she emphasized.

“This is crucial for strengthening our mutual defense capabilities,” added the former defense minister.

In her view, Russian forces have failed due to poor preparation and ineffective strategy. “Russia surprised all of us by how poorly it executed its plans. They launched a large-scale invasion that stalled in just a few days. This speaks to very poor preparation,” she added.

“This is an experience that Europe must use to modernize its own armed forces and deterrence methods,” she stressed, commenting on the necessity for the EU to adapt its defense strategies.