The Netherlands has requested additional funding to strengthen its security apparatus against Russian espionage and foreign interference. The move follows the decision to host the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine in The Hague. Dutch officials identified the Russian state apparatus, acting for President Vladimir Putin, as the primary source of escalating threats.
The budget request aims to counter rising Russian intelligence operations and sabotage attempts targeting The Hague. Dutch officials identified the Russian state apparatus as the primary threat to the tribunal’s integrity and national security.
The request comes as the Netherlands manages the preparatory stages of the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine (STCAU). Former caretaker Foreign Minister David van Weel warned that hosting the tribunal would have a “significant impact on national security and the justice system,” citing risks of foreign interference and cyberattacks.
The STCAU is being established within the Council of Europe framework to address a specific legal gap. Because the International Criminal Court (ICC) lacks jurisdiction over the crime of aggression when the aggressor state is not a party to the Rome Statute, the special tribunal provides a necessary legal mechanism for accountability.
The Council of Europe and the European Union signed an agreement on January 24, 2026, to finance an advance team. While these bodies provide the legal and financial scaffolding, the Dutch government bears the operational security burden, including the protection of facilities and personnel.
The Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine is being established within the Council of Europe framework. While the Council and the European Union finance the tribunal’s advance team, the Dutch government remains responsible for the operational security of the facilities and personnel in The Hague as the host nation.