Writer: Netherlands still struggles to shake off narrative of Russia as Ukraine's “big brother”

“In the Netherlands, it is still difficult to get rid of the narrative of Russia as Ukraine’s “older brother.” There are also many old Dutch books about the Soviet Union in which different peoples and countries are mistakenly described simply as “Russia.”” she said. According to her, people in the Netherlands talk a lot about their own colonial past, but they hardly ever view Russia through the lens of colonialism. At the same time, history shows a long-standing policy of seizing territories, changing city names, rewriting history, and suppressing national elites, particularly in Ukraine. “Despite the sanctions, money still reaches Russia through various countries and circumvention schemes, helping to finance its propaganda, among other things.