Kyiv, Ukraine – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed his gratitude towards outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte for the support provided to Ukraine. Zelenskyy conveyed his appreciation for the military, political, and humanitarian assistance offered by the Netherlands during a telephone call with Rutte. This gesture of thanks came amidst the swearing-in of Dick Schoof as the new prime minister of the Netherlands by Dutch King Willem-Alexander on Tuesday.
Washington – Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov is currently engaged in discussions with US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in Washington to explore avenues for increased military cooperation between their respective nations. The talks are expected to cover bilateral defense cooperation, regional security issues, and strategies to bolster the defense partnership between the United States and Ukraine. These discussions follow President Zelenskyy’s call to allies for additional weaponry after a Russian airstrike in Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region resulted in casualties.
Moscow, Russia – Russia recently reported the destruction of five Ukrainian SU-27 fighter jets and the damaging of two more at Ukraine’s Myrhorod airfield in the central Poltava region. The attack, conducted using Iskander-M missiles, was showcased in footage released by Russia’s Defense Ministry, depicting smoke and flames emanating from the airfield. While Moscow aims to target Ukrainian airfields in anticipation of the arrival of US-designed F-16s in Kyiv, Ukraine contested the extent of the damage caused by the Russian strike.
Kyiv, Ukraine – Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban made his first official visit to Ukraine since Russia initiated its full-scale invasion. Orban’s trip to Kyiv included planned discussions with President Zelenskyy to explore opportunities for peace and enhance Hungarian-Ukrainian bilateral relations. Known for maintaining ties with Russia and criticizing European support for Kyiv, Orban’s visit holds significance amidst ongoing tensions in the region.