Thursday, June 30, 2022

The Netherlands is Game for the Black Sea Grain Escort Mission


The next questions is, who will throw their hat in the ring with them?

From De Telegraph;

The Netherlands has offered mine hunters to clear the way for grain ships from Ukraine. "If we can play a role, we are happy to do so," Defense Minister Kajsa Ollongren said at the NATO summit in Madrid.

The Netherlands has offered Turkey, which mediates in the matter, help to clear the sea mines on the shipping routes. Then Russia and Ukraine will have to agree on a so-called maritime corridor, emphasizes Ollongren. Neighboring NATO member states such as Romania and Bulgaria are also in principle more eligible to supply minehunters, insiders say.

The Koninklijke Marine has a half-dozen Tripartite Class minehunters and are very good in this warfare area.

NATO operates combined mine hunting with member states on a regular basis. This could move fast if the diplomats can open the door.

Of course, there is another way to make this happen ... but that brings more risk than I think most of NATO will be willing to take.

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