On Thursday October 3 in kyiv, the new Secretary General of NATO, Mark Rutte, reaffirmed Western support for Ukraine until it “ wins » on Russia, barely two days after taking office in Brussels.
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“ It is my priority and my privilege to advance this support “Western” to ensure that Ukraine wins », declared the new Secretary General of NATO, Mark Rutte, who spoke alongside President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday October 3 in kyiv. Mr Rutte’s visit comes at a difficult time forUkrainewhose forces are in retreat on the eastern front, lacking men and weapons. As he began his first day at the head of NATO on October 1, the Dutchman made support for Ukraine one of the three priorities of his mandate. Mr. Rutte has also been one of the most active supporters of Ukraine in Europe since the start of the invasion in February 2022, he is described as “ russophobic » by Moscow. While Prime Minister of the Netherlands, he spearheaded efforts to provide kyiv with F-16 fighter jets. Fighting Falcon.
The question of the sustainability of Western aid
The question of the scale and sustainability of Western aid is currently being raised as Ukraine is in its third year of war. And the American position, one of kyiv’s main supporters with the EU and driving force of NATO, risks changing radically in the event of Donald Trump’s return to the White House after the November presidential election. “ It is up to the Ukrainian government to decide when the time has come to discuss peace », recalled Mr. Rutte when he took office, calling for “ focus on the war effort “. “ Ukraine’s place is in NATO “, he assured, despite the strong reluctance of some of the 32 member countries, including the United States and Germany.
For his part, the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky notably demanded that the allies help Ukraine intercept Russian missiles to “ save lives » as they did for Iranian missiles targeting Israel. “ What works in the skies of the Middle East and contributes to the defense of Israel can work just as well in the skies of our corner of Europe, Ukraine “, he argued in a video message, referring to the interceptions from American ships of Iranian missiles targeting Israel. Very close to the territory of western Ukraine, Poland, a NATO member, has until now regularly taken off its fighter planes during waves of Russian missiles on Ukraine, and recently demanded the right to be able to cut them down upstream. NATO forces, notably French and American, are also positioned in Romania, a few hundred kilometers from the port of Odessa regularly targeted by Russian strikes.
Ukrainians give ground
But the Ukrainian army gives ground in the East. In the latest setback, she announced on Wednesday October 2 that she was withdrawing from Vougledarwhose capture was claimed by Russia on Thursday. This city has military and symbolic importance, and its fall raises the question of the strength of Ukrainian defenses beyond. Asked about this loss, Mr. Zelensky assured that he was “ normal » that his soldiers withdraw in order to “ that they can save their lives » in the face of Russian firepower. In the east, Russian troops are also approaching Pokrovsk, a key city for military logistics. On the Russian side, four civilians were killed and 24 injured Thursday in Ukrainian strikes on the border region of Belgorod, which is regularly bombarded, according to local authorities.
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