Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte signed a safety take care of Ukraine within the northeastern metropolis of Kharkiv on Friday (1 March) and stated the Netherlands would assist fund the provision of 800,000 artillery shells to carry again Russian forces.
Rutte met President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on a shock go to to Kharkiv, simply 40 km from the Russian border, and have become the seventh Western chief to signal a 10-year safety settlement with Ukraine within the final two months.
“The Netherlands will contribute to the Czech Republic’s initiative to buy 800,000 artillery shells, he informed a information convention, saying they’d arrive inside weeks.
Ukraine is critically wanting artillery rounds as its troops attempt to maintain again Russian forces who’re once more on the offensive within the east, two years after Moscow launched its full-scale invasion.
The Czech Republic stated final month it had sourced 500,000 rounds of 155 mm shells and 300,000 122 mm rounds from third international locations, which might be delivered to Ukraine in weeks if funding was secured.
The shells would plug a giant gap in Ukraine’s stockpiles with an important bundle of US navy help caught in Congress dealing with months of Republican opposition.
Rutte stated the Netherlands would donate €150 million to the Czech initiative, taking the entire raised thus far to €250 million.
The safety settlement he signed with Ukraine included €2 billion in navy help from the Netherlands this 12 months, in addition to different defence help over the subsequent 10 years, Zelenskyy stated.
The go to to Kharkiv was a uncommon one by a senior Western politician as the town is often attacked by Russian air strikes and is way nearer to the Russian border than Kyiv.
The 2 leaders visited an underground classroom established to permit schoolchildren to attend lessons in individual, secure from missile strikes.
Rutte praised the braveness and willpower of the kids and academics as “a real beacon of hope that evokes Ukrainians to maintain combating and allies to maintain supporting Ukraine”.
“The duty dealing with Ukrainian allies is obvious – do no matter you may to supply what is required, [for] so long as it takes,” he stated.
Zelenskyy described Rutte’s go to as “symbolic” in a “metropolis that has survived loads”.
“Right here in Kharkiv, it’s 100% apparent that Russia is waging a felony battle, its goal is barely destruction.”
In a press release on Telegram, Zelenskyy stated that greater than 20,000 buildings – colleges, universities, church buildings, kindergartens and residential homes – had been destroyed in Kharkiv within the final two years.
Canada, Italy, Germany, France, Denmark and Britain have all signed bilateral safety offers over the previous two months that are supposed to tide Ukraine over till it might probably attain its goal of becoming a member of the Western navy alliance, NATO.
Andriy Yermak, head of Zelenskyy’s workplace, stated agreements have been additionally being mentioned with different international locations.
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