A new cabinet crisis is looming in the Netherlands now that far-right leader Geert Wilders has come out against sending Dutch troops to Ukraine as part of a European peacekeeping mission.

Prime minister Dick Schoof has been clear that the Netherlands will consider taking part in a mission if a peace deal is agreed, but Wilders, who is not part of the cabinet, said on social media that the PVV is opposed.

“The Netherlands is already involved in many missions and we need to protect our own land,” he said. “Furthermore, there are tens of thousands of Ukrainian men in the Netherlands. Let them go back and help their own country, as soldiers.”

Dutch troops have taken part in peacekeeping missions without 100% parliamentary backing before but, insiders suggest, this may be different if the biggest party is among those saying no. The PVV has 37 seats in the 150-seat lower house of parliament.

Coalition parties VVD and the NSC are among the clear majority of MPs supporting a “constructive” approach.

“Wilders is again putting the coalition in an extremely difficult position,” said NOS commentator Jorn Jonker. “Wilders has said no, without discussing it with the other coalition parties and while the prime minister says he is open to the idea. Under normal circumstances, this would mean no Dutch troops would be sent by the cabinet.”

Prime minister Dick Schoof, speaking after Monday’s meeting of EU leaders in Paris, said again that Europe must be prepared to give security guarantees to Ukraine.

“Europe will have to make a contribution towards safeguarding any agreement, and cooperation with the Americans is essential,” he said on social media. “That’s something we are going to be looking at carefully in the period ahead.”

Not talking about sending troops “would be underestimating the risks for Europe and Dutch interests,” Schoof told reporters later.

MPs will debate the situation in Ukraine and US president Donald Trump’s role later on Tuesday.

Support

D66 leader Rob Jetten has already said the Netherlands must be prepared to “guard the peace” if a deal is reached. “Then, the entire EU, including the Netherlands, must contribute.”

Wilders’ public opposition is “dancing to Trump and Putin’s tune,” Jetten said.

The GroenLinks-PvdA alliance, which is the biggest opposition party, and the fourth coalition party BBB are more cautious in their approach, but have not excluded the possibility either.

Doubts

Dick Zandee, a defence expert with the Clingendael Institute, told Trouw the Netherlands would be able to do no more than send a single battalion of some 850 soldiers.

“You could glue together an international group of 50,000 to 100,000 soldiers at a pinch,” he said. “But it is very doubtful if European countries can keep providing troops in the long term.

“There are serious shortages of people and equipment, and you need to keep some soldiers back for your own security and the rest of Europe,” he said.