Good exchange with my colleague @jnbarrot.bsky.social. I expressed my solidarity with those affected by the devastating wildfires in France. We also discussed developments in the Middle East and the importance of restoring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.

Pleasant first call with new UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband. We reaffirmed the strong bond between our countries and our close cooperation as North Sea neighbours. We also discussed developments in the Middle East and the importance of restoring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.

The past two days in Manila provided a valuable opportunity to meet with many colleagues from around the world. Through strong partnerships, the Netherlands will continue to invest in freedom of navigation, maritime security and resilient supply chains.

Together with my Singaporean colleague Vivian Balakrishnan, I moderated a session on maritime security and cooperation. Our message was clear: in today’s interconnected world, the need for open sea lanes is crucial. Freedom of navigation and UNCLOS must be respected, now more than ever.

Valuable discussions with my colleagues from Egypt, Qatar and Oman. We spoke about developments in the Middle East, in particular around Iran, and maritime security. In that context, we underscored the importance of freedom of navigation, including in the Strait of Hormuz.

With ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn, I discussed our fruitful cooperation with ASEAN as Development Partner. Strong ties support stability, security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific and globally. Looking forward to celebrating 50 years of EU-ASEAN relations next year.

I congratulated Foreign Secretary Lazaro on the Philippines’ ASEAN chairship and its success so far. This year also marks 75 years of bilateral relations between our countries. We are close partners, working together on regional stability, maritime security, trade and the rule of law.

Embassies are the eyes and ears on the ground. They build relationships, collect valuable information and turn diplomacy into action. In Manila, I opened the new chancery of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, from where we continue our work in the Philippines.

Good discussion with U.S. Secretary Marco Rubio in Manila today. We spoke about NATO, Venezuela, Iran and other matters. We will continue cooperation on matters of shared interest, such as freedom of navigation.

Valuable exchange with my Indian colleague Dr. S. Jaishankar on our shared commitment to a stable and open Indo-Pacific. We discussed freedom of navigation, EU-India FTA and our cooperation on energy security, technology and water management under our new Strategic Partnership.

Arrived in Manila, the Philippines, for meetings with ASEAN partners and others. Southeast Asia is an important region for the Netherlands. Good to discuss cooperation on maritime security, high-tech and resilient supply chains. 1/2

Twelve years after the downing of Flight MH17, our thoughts are with those who lost their loved ones. Their loss remains deeply felt every day. The Netherlands remains unwavering in its commitment to seek truth, justice and accountability.

Volle dag in Brussel tijdens de Raad Buitenlandse Zaken. We namen nieuwe sancties aan tegen Rusland, spraken met partners uit de Golfregio over de situatie in het Midden-Oosten en over maritieme veiligheid en namen maatregelen tegen de goudhandel die de oorlog voedt in Soedan.

Two days of meetings with Allies and partners confirmed what this Summit was about: delivering on the commitments we made in The Hague. Europe is stepping up by investing more, building stronger capabilities and taking greater responsibility within NATO. 1/2

Good to catch up with my friend @aussenminister.diplo.de. Germany and the Netherlands share the conviction that a stronger Europe makes NATO stronger. Together we are investing more in our security, strengthening our defence industries and delivering on the commitments we made in The Hague.

Today’s security challenges do not stop at the borders of NATO. Good to meet with our Gulf partners. From maritime security to defence innovation, there is much we can achieve together. Strong partnerships are essential in an increasingly interconnected security environment.

Deze week komen bondgenoten bijeen in Ankara voor de 52e NAVO-top. Tegen de achtergrond van de Russische dreiging, de oorlog in Oekraïne & toenemende geopolitieke spanningen zet Nederland zich samen met bondgenoten in voor een grotere Europese verantwoordelijkheid binnen de NAVO.

Ruslands oorlog tegen Oekraïne is het duidelijkste voorbeeld van hoe onze gemeenschappelijke veiligheid wordt bedreigd. Het blijft belangrijk om de fundamenten van de OVSE te verdedigen. Parlementaire diplomatie speelt hierin een belangrijke rol. 2/2

Vandaag sprak ik in de Parlementaire Assemblee van de OVSE over de complexe veiligheidssituatie waar we mee te maken hebben. In de OVSE-regio zien we geopolitieke spanningen, democratische achteruitgang en hybride dreigingen. Het werk van de OVSE is belangrijker dan ooit. 1/2

Vandaag sprak ik met Ignazio Cassis, zowel de Zwitserse minister van Buitenlandse Zaken als voorzitter van de OVSE. Nederland waardeert het langlopende partnerschap met Zwitserland en de OVSE rondom veiligheid en stabiliteit in de regio. Ik kijk uit naar verdere samenwerking.

During a frank exchange with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar, in the wake of the historic agreement with Lebanon, I stressed our continued open dialogue on disarming Hamas as well as the importance of improving the humanitarian situation in Gaza and halting settler violence and E1.

Een sterk Europa en een sterke NAVO zijn belangrijk voor onze veiligheid. Vanmiddag debatteer ik samen met @defensiemin.bsky.social in de @tweedekamer.bsky.social over de NAVO-top in Ankara, Europese verantwoordelijkheid en blijvende steun aan Oekraïne. Kijk hier mee: tweedekamer.nl/debat_en_verga…

Goed om kennis te maken met gouverneur Mauritsz de Kort van Curaçao. We spraken over de situatie in Venezuela na de aardbeving en de inzet vanuit het Koninkrijk. Ook in tijden van crisis laten we zien hoe belangrijk goede samenwerking binnen het Koninkrijk is.

Samen met @ministeraenm.bsky.social sprak ik in Beiroet met president Joseph Aoun over de onderhandelingen met Israël, recente inspanningen om de spanningen in de regio te verminderen en de toekomst van Libanon. Een stabiel en soeverein Libanon verdient de blijvende steun van zijn partners.

Qatar plays a crucial role in supporting dialogue across the Middle East. Good discussions with Minister of State Mohammed Al-Khulaifi and Minister of Defense Ali Al Thani on regional security, mediation and where Qatar and the Netherlands can strengthen cooperation.

Had a valuable discussion with PM Al Thani in Doha on the ongoing US-Iran negotiations. Qatar’s leading role is highly appreciated. Stability across the Middle East and freedom of navigation are of crucial importance to both our countries as well as the global economy.

Deze week bezoek ik Qatar en Libanon. De recente stappen die zijn gezet tussen de VS en Iran laten de waarde van diplomatie zien, met Qatar als bruggenbouwer. Stabiliteit in het Midden-Oosten is in Nederlands belang, goed hierover het gesprek te voeren in Doha en Beiroet.

This week I am visiting Qatar and Lebanon. Recent progress between the US and Iran shows the value of diplomacy. Qatar has played an important role in these efforts. Stability in the Middle East matters far beyond the region, including for the Netherlands.

Europa staat voor keuzes die onze toekomst bepalen. Dank aan AIV, Bert Koenders en Paul Scheffer voor de aanbieding van het rapport over EU-uitbreiding. Een waardevolle bijdrage aan het debat over een sterker Europa. We gaan het advies zorgvuldig bestuderen.

NL stands for press freedom and protecting independent journalism. In a meeting with @MoscowTimes, @tvrain and @meduzaproject I reaffirmed our commitment to these principles. Their reporting on developments in Russia remains vital. Thank you for today’s talks about your work.