Page 2 - aruba-today-20230118

A2 UP FRONT
Wednesday 18 January 2023

Netherlands says it will send Patriot assistance to Ukraine

Continued from Front

“I think that it’s important
we join that and I discussed
it also this morning with Olaf
Scholz of Germany.”
White House press sec-
retary Karine Jean-Pierre
confirmed that Biden and
Rutte discussed ongoing
efforts with Patriots, but re-
ferred questions about the
Netherlands’ intentions to
the Dutch government,
which did not immediately
provide clarity.
Rutte spoke about the po-
tential assistance as Ukrai-
nian troops arrived at Okla-
homa’s Fort Sill Army base
to begin training on oper-
ating and maintaining the
Patriot missile defense sys-
tem. The Patriot is the most
advanced surface-to-air
missile system the West has
provided to Ukraine to help
repel Russian aerial attacks.
“Training has begun,” Pen-
tagon spokesman Air Force
Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said.
“As we’ve talked about President Joe Biden meets with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, Tuesday, Jan.
before, that training will 17, 2023.
last for several months, and Associated Press
train upwards of 90 to 100 human rights abuses; and the Oval Office meeting, even more our resolve to however only three soldiers
Ukrainians on use of the Pa- improve the speed and ac- said the two sides agreed stay with Ukraine,” Rutte are needed to actually fire
triot missile system.” curacy of its military deci- to “sharpen our shared told reporters at the start of it, according to the Army.
Biden was also looking to sion making, planning and edge on economic secu- his meeting with Biden. Some of the ongoing main-
use Tuesday’s meeting with logistics. rity, including protection Biden praised Netherlands tenance support, once the
Rutte to nudge the Nether- Slowing Beijing’s access, and promotion of critical as one of the United States Patriot is on the battlefield,
lands to further limit China’s however, will take plenty and emerging technolo- “strongest” allies, one that’s will be done remotely, Ry-
access to advanced semi- of help from allies for the gies.” proven “very, very stalwart” der said.
conductors with export re- U.S. export controls to have China’s Foreign Ministry in its support for Ukraine The Dutch prime minister,
strictions. maximum impact. The spokesperson Wang Wen- since Russia launched in for his part, praised Biden
The Biden administration Netherlands-based tech bin last week called on Ja- its invasion in February. The for leading the internation-
has been trying to get the giant ASML is a major man- pan and the Netherlands Netherlands has commit- al effort to back Ukraine.
Netherlands on the same ufacturer of lithography to resist U.S. pressure. ted about $2.7 billion (2.5 “I am convinced history will
page since the U.S. Com- machines that design and “We hope the relevant billion euros) in support for judge in 2022 if the United
merce Department an- produce semiconductors. countries will do the right Ukraine this year. The mon- States had not stepped up
nounced in October new China is one of ASML’s big- thing and work together ey will be spent on military like you did things would
export controls aimed at gest clients. to uphold the multilateral equipment, humanitarian have been very different,”
China. The restrictions are CEO Peter Wennink played trade regime and safe- and diplomatic efforts. Rutte said.
intended to limit China’s down the impact of the U.S. guard the stability of the The Netherlands provid- The two leaders were also
ability to access advanced export control regulations global industrial and supply ing Ukraine with Patriot as- to discuss plans for the Sum-
computing chips, develop soon after the administra- chains,” he said. “This will sistance — whether the mit for Democracy, which
and maintain supercom- tion unveiled them last fall. also serve to protect their weapons systems, missiles they are co-hosting with
puters, and make ad- ASML said last year that it own long-term interests.” or training — would be a Costa Rica, South Korea
vanced semiconductors. expected company-wide Rutte spoke by phone on major move for the NATO and Zambia in late March.
“Together we’re working 2022 sales to be around 21 Monday with Ukraine Presi- ally. The training of Ukraine Biden hosted the inaugu-
on how to keep a free and billion euros. dent Volodymyr Zelenskyy forces now underway in ral democracy summit in
open Indo Pacific, and The U.S. has also been in about Saturday’s Russian Oklahoma is to focus, in December 2021, which the
quite frankly the challenges talks with Japan on tough- missile strike on an apart- part, on how to maintain administration billed as the
of China,” Biden said at the er export restrictions to limit ment building in Dnipro the battery that will be start of a global conversa-
start of their meeting. the sale of semiconductor — one of the deadliest sent by the U.S. to Ukraine tion about how best to halt
Administration officials manufacturing technol- attacks on civilians in the once training is complete. the backsliding of democ-
have reasoned that the ogy to China. Rutte’s visit nearly 11-month-old war. Each system has multiple racy.
export restrictions are nec- comes after Biden hosted Authorities said the death components, including a Biden is the third U.S. presi-
essary because China can Japanese Prime Minister toll from the strike rose to phased array radar, a con- dent visited by Rutte, the
use semiconductors to cre- Fumio Kishida last week for 40 and that 30 people re- trol station, computers and Netherlands’ longest-serv-
ate advanced military sys- talks. mained missing Monday. generators, and typically ing prime minister. He earli-
tems including weapons of The U.S. and Japan, in a “These are horrible pictures requires about 90 soldiers er met with Barack Obama
mass destruction; commit joint statement following and I think it strengthens to operate and maintain, and Donald Trump.q