Ever since Russia invaded Ukraine, the Netherlands has openly stated its support for Ukrainians. However, in spite of calling for sanctions and seizing Russian property, the Netherlands is still filling the coffers of Russia.
And quite significantly at that. According to a study by Kalavasta, each Dutchie pays an average of €2 to Russia every single day, the NOS reports.
What? How?
Of course, it’s not as if everyone in the country reaches into their back pocket, grabs a €2 coin, and happily hands it over to Putin himself.
This amount comes from the money that the average person would pay for everyday products that are produced using Russian gas, such as fertilizer and tomatoes. 🍅
Millions every day
The study also gave an estimate of what the average family would send to Russia each month. For example, a family of three would send an average of €180 into the country’s coffers every month.
If that amount doesn’t faze you, the study also worked out how much the Netherlands currently sends to Russia every day — a whopping €30 million. 😳
This confronting plea demonstrates the damage that can be done by supporting Russian gas.
Their own initiative
Kalavasta usually works on behalf of ministries, environmental agencies, and large companies. They advocate for climate-neutral strategies — but this time, they turned their research toward Russia.
Speaking to the NOS, the director of the agency, John Kerkhoven, explained that the agency wanted to do whatever it could to help during this time of crisis.
READ MORE | Here’s how you can help Ukraine from the Netherlands
“We don’t make anti-tank weapons but calculation models, so we made a calculation model for this as well.” And it’s safe to say, the study’s findings may very well rattle some foundations. 💪
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