Dutch Foreign Minister Halbe Zijlstra at the 2017 EU Eastern Partnership Summit | Emmanuel Dunand/AFP via Getty Images Dutch foreign minister admits to lying about meeting Vladimir Putin Halbe Zijlstra previously claimed he overheard the Russian president talking about his expansionist ambitions at a gathering in 2006.

Dutch Foreign Minister Halbe Zijlstra has come under fire for lying about attending a meeting with Vladimir Putin in 2006, Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant reported Monday.

At a party conference in 2016, the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) politician claimed he was present at a 2006 meeting in which the Russian president laid out plans to expand the country's borders and create a "Great Russia" that would include Belarus, Ukraine, the Baltic states and possibly Kazakhstan. Zijlstra, an employee of oil company Shell at the time, had traveled to Russia with Jeroen van der Veer, then CEO of the company.

Zijlstra was forced to set the record straight on his attendance at the meeting after his colleagues raised doubts about his account, De Volkskrant reported. The minister admitted he was not in fact in the room, but borrowed the story from a source. Zijlstra claimed he wanted to tell the story because of its "geopolitical importance" and presented it as his own in order to "protect" the source.

His decision was "not a smart move," he admitted. "I should have done this differently."

The disclosure comes at an inconvenient time for Zijlstra, as he heads to Moscow on Tuesday to meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

The ministers are expected to discuss the downing of MH17, the plane that was shot down while flying over Ukraine in 2014, sparking a diplomatic crisis between the two countries. Prime Minister Mark Rutte government has previously accused Russia of spreading fake news about the incident.

Geert Wilders' far-right Party for Freedom has called on Zijlstra to take part in a parliamentary debate before he leaves, and joined other opposition parties in questioning his integrity.

Rutte, whom Zijlstra said was informed of the story some weeks ago, defended the foreign minister saying he remains "credible," because the content of the story is "not up for discussion," NOS reported. </s> The Netherlands' foreign minister is facing a tough debate in Parliament following his admission that he lied about attending a meeting hosted by Russian President Vladimir Putin at his country retreat more than a decade ago.

Foreign Affairs Minister Halbe Zijlstra is expected to face hostile questions and calls for his resignation from opposition lawmakers at the debate Tuesday.

Zijlstra has in the past said he attended a 2006 meeting when Putin said he considered Belarus, Ukraine and the Baltic states as part of a "Greater Russia."

On Monday, Zijlstra conceded he wasn't present but heard the story from somebody who was. He said he considered Putin's statements so geopolitically important that he spoke about them publicly and took credit for hearing the comments as a way of protecting his source. </s> THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The Netherlands’ foreign minister was facing a tough debate in Parliament Tuesday following his admission that he lied about attending a meeting hosted by Russian President Vladimir Putin at his country retreat more than a decade ago.

Foreign Affairs Minister Halbe Zijlstra, a member of Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s center-right VVD party, was expected to face hostile questions and calls for his resignation from opposition lawmakers.

Zijlstra has in the past said he attended a 2006 meeting when Putin said he considered Belarus, Ukraine and the Baltic states as part of a “Greater Russia.”

On Monday, Zijlstra conceded he wasn’t present at the meeting but heard the story from somebody who was. He said he considered Putin’s statements so geopolitically important that he spoke about them publicly and took credit for hearing the comments as a way of protecting his source.

The Russian embassy in the Netherlands waded into the debate by issuing a statement accusing some in the Netherlands of distributing “fake news” aimed at discrediting Moscow by suggesting it has expansionist ambitions.

“This can only be heard from those who are interested in presenting Russia as an enemy and who under the pretext of the notorious ‘Russian threat’ keep pushing NATO military infrastructure eastwards, therefore consciously provoking military confrontation,” the Russian statement said.

The spat came a day before Zijlstra was due to meet his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, in Moscow. </s> THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) - In a potentially damaging admission on the eve of his first visit to Russia as a member of the Dutch government, Foreign Minister Halbe Zijlstra has acknowledged lying about attending a meeting with President Vladimir Putin in 2006.

Zijlstra issued a statement Monday confirming the admission he made to respected Dutch daily De Volkskrant.

Zijlstra has in the past said he was present as an employee of energy giant Shell at Putin's country retreat when the Russian president said he considered Belarus, Ukraine and the Baltic states as part of a "Greater Russia."

Zijlstra says in his statement that he was not present at the meeting in 2006 but heard the story from somebody who was there. He says he took credit for the comments as a way of protecting his source. </s> AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Dutch Foreign Minister Halbe Zijlstra admitted on Monday that he lied about hearing Russian President Vladimir Putin make comments about plans for a “greater Russia.”

While election campaigning two years ago, Zijlstra said that in 2006 he had been at Putin’s dacha when he heard the Kremlin leader speak of plans for a “greater Russia” which would include some of Russia’s neighbors.

“I was tucked away back in the room, but I could clearly hear Putin’s answer to the question about what he considered greater Russia,” Zijlstra told a gathering then of his People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy, which heads the new Dutch government.

“He said this included Russia, Belarus, Ukraine and the Baltic states, and, well, Kazakhstan would be ‘nice to have’,” he said in his speech which was recorded on video.

But on Monday he acknowledged he had never been at the meeting with Putin and had heard of the comments second hand.

“The discussion did take place and someone who was there told me what President Putin said about greater Russia,” Zijlstra said in a statement after admitting the lie in an interview with the Dutch daily De Volkskrant.

Zijlstra’s admission comes ahead of a scheduled meeting on Wednesday with Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov with relations at a poor ebb since the downing of Malaysia Airlines MH17 in July 2014, with 196 Dutch citizens onboard.

The Dutch have blamed the Russians for the downing of the airplane and are narrowing down their investigation to identify the suspects to be tried in the Netherlands.

Opposition parties called for a debate on Zijlstra’s position. But Prime Minister Mark Rutte said that though Zijlstra had a made a “big mistake” he remained a credible member of the government and did not have to resign.

Rutte, speaking to reporters, said he did not see relations with Russia deteriorating further. “The Russians know the content of the story is true”, he said. </s> In a potentially damaging admission on the eve of his first visit to Russia as a member of the Dutch government, Foreign Minister Halbe Zijlstra on Monday acknowledged lying about attending a meeting with President Vladimir Putin in 2006.

Zijlstra issued a statement confirming the admission he made in an interview published in Monday’s edition of respected Dutch daily .

“Contrary to his previous claims, he was never present at the meeting with the Russian president,” the centre-left paper wrote.

A member of Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s Liberal VVD party – the leading party in the country’s ruling coalition – Zijlstra has in the past said he was present as an employee of energy giant Shell at Putin’s country retreat when the Russian president said he considered Belarus, Ukraine and the Baltic states as part of a “Greater Russia”. He told members at a VVD congress in May 2016 he was there “in the background as an assistant” during the meeting.

“I clearly heard Vladimir Putin’s answer about what his understanding was of ‘Greater Russia’,” Zijlstra told the audience.

In a written statement, Zijlstra said he was not present at the meeting in 2006 but heard the story from somebody who was there.

He said he considered Putin’s statements so geopolitically important that he spoke about them publicly and took credit for hearing the comments as a way of protecting his source.

“The manner in which I wanted to protect my source and underscore my message about Russia was not sensible, that is crystal clear,” Zijlstra said.

Zijlstra’s appointment in October raised eyebrows in The Netherlands because of his perceived lack of diplomatic credentials.

“His spin doctors” had used the story of the Putin meeting “to ward off criticism about his lack of foreign experience,” said.

Asked on Monday about the issue, Rutte said “the content is true, but he should not have claimed to be somewhere when he was not”. Rutte told reporters he still found his foreign minister to be credible as “the crux of the story is true”.

Zijlstra is due to fly to Moscow on Tuesday for a meeting on Wednesday with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov. Among other things, Zijlstra is due to discuss with Lavrov the Dutch-led probe into the downing of Malaysia Airlines MH17 over eastern Ukraine in 2014. </s> THE HAGUE, Netherlands — The Dutch foreign affairs minister resigned Tuesday, a day after admitting that he lied about attending a meeting hosted by Russian President Vladimir Putin more than a decade ago.

An emotional Halbe Zijlstra announced his resignation at the start of a debate Tuesday at which he was expected to be grilled by opposition lawmakers about the lie. He called it “by far the biggest mistake I have committed in my entire career.”

“This is about the credibility of the minister of foreign affairs of the Kingdom of the Netherlands,” Zijlstra said. “That credibility must be beyond doubt.”

Zijlstra, a member of Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s centre-right VVD party, is the first minister to quit since Rutte’s four-party coalition took office in October. Rutte, who was also in Parliament for Zijlstra’s resignation, hugged him as he left.

Zijlstra’s position as the country’s top diplomat became untenable after he admitted lying about a meeting with Putin.

Zijlstra has in the past said he attended a 2006 meeting when Putin said he considered Belarus, Ukraine and the Baltic states as part of a “Greater Russia.”

On Monday, Zijlstra conceded he wasn’t present at the meeting but heard the story from somebody who was. He said he considered Putin’s statements so geopolitically important that he spoke about them publicly and took credit for hearing the comments as a way of protecting his source.

“It was clearly a wrong choice,” Zijlstra said as he announced his resignation.

The Russian embassy in the Netherlands waded into the debate by issuing a statement accusing some in the Netherlands of distributing “fake news” aimed at discrediting Moscow by suggesting it has expansionist ambitions.

“This can only be heard from those who are interested in presenting Russia as an enemy and who under the pretext of the notorious ‘Russian threat’ keep pushing NATO military infrastructure eastwards, therefore consciously provoking military confrontation,” the Russian statement said.

Zijlstra’s resignation came a day before he was due to meet his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, in Moscow.

There was no immediate announcement about a replacement. </s> THE HAGUE, Netherlands — In a potentially damaging admission on the eve of his first visit to Russia as a member of the Dutch government, Foreign Minister Halbe Zijlstra on Monday acknowledged lying about attending a meeting with President Vladimir Putin in 2006.

Zijlstra issued a statement confirming the admission he made in an interview published in Monday’s edition of respected Dutch daily De Volkskrant.

Zijlstra has in the past said he was present as an employee of energy giant Shell at Putin’s country retreat when the Russian president said he considered Belarus, Ukraine and the Baltic states as part of a “Greater Russia.”

In a written statement, Zijlstra said that he was not present at the meeting in 2006 but heard the story from somebody who was there. He said he considered Putin’s statements so geopolitically important that he spoke about them publicly and took credit for hearing the comments as a way of protecting his source.

“The manner in which I wanted to protect my source and underscore my message about Russia was not sensible, that is crystal clear,” Zijlstra said.

Zijlstra is due to fly to Moscow Tuesday for a meeting Wednesday with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov. </s> Image copyright AFP Image caption Mr Putin took his host for a twirl, ignoring the controversy about the invitation

Russian President Vladimir Putin has attended the wedding of Austrian Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl, who has been criticised for inviting him.

Mr Putin gave her presents and danced with her at the event in the southern Austrian province of Styria.

Opposition politicians have accused Ms Kneissl of undermining EU foreign policy with her choice of guest.

Mr Putin stopped in Austria on his way to Germany, where he held talks with Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Ms Kneissl, 53, married entrepreneur Wolfgang Meilinger, 54, at a ceremony in the small town of Gamlitz, near the border with Slovenia.

Image copyright EPA Image caption Mr Meilinger shares a love of judo with Mr Putin

Mr Putin arrived with a bunch of flowers for the bride and was accompanied by a troupe of Cossack singers who performed for the guests.

His spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian media that he also presented the newlyweds with a painting of village life, an antique oil press and a samovar, an urn used to prepare tea in Russia.

Image copyright AFP Image caption Putin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the guests appreciated the performance by the Cossack choir

Mr Putin gave a speech in German and toasted the bride and groom, Mr Peskov added.

Ms Kneissl, an academic with no party affiliation, was picked as foreign minister by Austria's far-right Freedom Party - a coalition partner in the current government.

Image copyright AFP Image caption Ms Kneissl also tried Cossack dancing

The Russian president was invited during a visit to Austria earlier this year. Mr Peskov said Mr Putin "shared a passion for judo" with Mr Meilinger.

There has been vigorous debate in the Austrian media about the Russian president's appearance since it was announced this week.

Members of the country's Green Party are among those calling for the foreign minister to resign over the invitation

Some politicians have voiced concern about the potential cost to taxpayers incurred by increased security for the visit.

In Germany, the Russian president held informal talks with Mrs Merkel for three hours at Meseberg castle, north of Berlin. They were due to discuss Syria and Ukraine, as well as Russian gas supplies to Europe.

Germany is facing pressure from the US to halt work on the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project

The meeting ended without a news conference. Mr Putin later flew back to Russia. </s> ROTTERDAM, Netherlands (AP) – Turkey’s top diplomat has drawn more than a hundred people at a campaign gathering in the northern French city of Metz amid a diplomatic spat with the Netherlands.

 Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu was in France Sunday to whip up support for controversial constitutional reforms to expand the powers of the Turkish presidency.

Supporters draped in Turkish flags greeted the minister as he reached the Centre des Congres of Metz with cheers of “Turkey” and “God is Great.”

Turkish officials have been scheduling campaign events for the referendum in several European countries with sizable populations of Turkish expatriates.

Cavusoglu was blocked Saturday from holding a rally in the Dutch city of Rotterdam after the Netherlands withdrew his landing permission.

The diplomatic incident has triggered an exchange of sharp words and tit-for-tat moves between the two NATO allies.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says he appropriately accused the Dutch government of “Nazism and fascism, saying only those types of regimes would bar foreign ministers from traveling within their countries.

Erdogan also said during a live televised address on Sunday that the Netherlands would “pay the price” for sacrificing its ties with a NATO ally to upcoming elections there.

He also said Turkey would retaliate for the ousting of the Turkish family affairs minister from the Netherlands.

Erdogan said: “I have said that I had thought that Nazism was over, but that I was wrong. Nazism is alive in the West.”

He thanked France, which allowed Turkey’s foreign minister to address Turkish citizens in the city of Metz on Sunday.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte says he was forced by threats from Ankara to keep two Turkish ministers from traveling within the Netherlands on Saturday.

Turkish foreign minister warns there “will be repercussions” against the Netherlands and that an “apology was not enough” as tensions continue escalating between the two NATO allies.

Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu talked with reporters Sunday in Metz, France where he condemned Dutch authorities canceling campaign rallies by himself and another cabinet member.

Noting that Ankara already had barred the Dutch ambassador from returning to Turkey, Cavusoglu added: “We have other steps in mind. We’ve already begun planning them. We will certainly take those steps and more.”

Cavusoglu says Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte had “arrogantly” said he could only come to the Netherlands to deliver tulips and tour museums, but not to see Turks living in the country.

The minister also condemned that treatment of Turkish protesters in Rotterdam, saying he would show photographs of dogs being released on them.

A French official says Turkish foreign minister is being allowed to address a rally in the country’s eastern city of Metz because the event represents no threat to public order.

Alain Carton, secretary general of the Metz prefecture, said Sunday that in the absence of such a risk, the rally must be permitted in the name of the freedom of assembly.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu appeared at a midday rally with the local Turkish population that also was expected to draw Turkish expatriates from a nearby region of Germany.

The decision by French authorities to permit Cavusoglu to campaign in the country for a Turkish referendum that would expand the powers of the president contrasts with the position of the Dutch.

The Dutch government refused Saturday to allow Cavusoglu to land in Rotterdam because of objections to his intention to rally for the Turkish referendum.

A man has climbed onto the roof of the Dutch consulate in Istanbul and replaced the Netherlands’ flag with the Turkish one.

 Television footage shows a man standing on the roof of the building shouting Allahu Akbar, Arabic for “God is great.”

A small group of men holding Turkish flags are seen outside the consulate shouting “Damn Holland” and “Racist Holland.”

The incident occurred Sunday morning amid escalating tensions between the two NATO allies after the Netherlands barred two Turkish ministers for campaigning for an upcoming referendum on Saturday.

Private Dogan news agency reports the consulatelater took down Turkey’s flag and put the Dutch flag back up.

The man is still unidentified.
Foreign Minister of the Netherlands Halbe Zijlstra admits to lying about having attended a meeting with Vladimir Putin in 2006. Zijlstra had said that Putin mentioned plans to expand Russia to include Belarus, Ukraine, and the Baltic states but now says that he was not present and borrowed the story from a source.