Images of bombed-out hospitals and apartment buildings across Ukraine reminded Jannie and Bert Schrage of their home country during World War II. Then the retired couple, who live in the north of the Netherlands, realized they had a resource to help slow President Vladimir Putin's campaign — natural gas.
The Schrages live above the Groningen gas field, Europe's largest. They have been opposing gas production since earthquakes started to force them out of their homes a decade ago. Now, like a majority of those polled in their province, they say that if it would help Ukraine, they may allow more gas to be pumped out.
"I never thought the words would come out of my mouth," said Bert Schrage, a former teaching assistant at Groningen University, standing near a Ukrainian flag placed in his windowsill.