NATO chief Mark Rutte told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy that his goal as head of the military alliance was to ensure “a victory for Ukraine.” In a major show of support for Kiev, Rutte visited the Ukrainian capital on his first trip as the alliance's secretary-general. Rutte said he chose Kiev as his first stop “to send a clear message to you, the Ukrainian people and everyone watching, that NATO is on Ukraine's side.” .
Zelenskiy, in a joint media appearance with Rutte, slammed Western countries' delays in supplying long-range weapons.. “We need weapons of sufficient quantity and quality, including long-range weapons, but in my opinion our partner countries are already procrastinating,” Zelenskiy said. The Ukrainian leader also called on NATO members to take a more active role in helping his country fend off Russian air attacks. “We will continue to convince our partners of the need to shoot down Russian missiles and drones,” President Zelensky said, adding, “What works in the skies of the Middle East and helps defend Israel is the most important thing in our European region. It could even work in the sky,” he added. ”
Asked to respond to Zelenskyy's comments“We have a finite supply of long-range missiles,” said Sabrina Singh, a Pentagon deputy spokeswoman. “We're not letting that drag on.”
Ukraine opens its first recruitment office in Poland with the aim of recruiting citizens to fight against Russian aggression. The move comes as Kiev scrambles to strengthen its forces to thwart a Moscow invasion. Ukraine announced plans in July to recruit a “Ukrainian Legion,” hoping to persuade thousands of men who have fled the country to flee the war to join. The government estimates that around 300,000 people of fighting age live in Poland.
Thousands of people demonstrated against Germany's military aid to Ukraine at a rally in Berlin By radical left-wing groups. Participants gathered in the German capital, brandishing placards that read “Negotiate!” “We don't need weapons!”, “I'm against war”, “Pacifism is not naive”. Some held anti-American signs. One of their main demands was for Germany to stop sending weapons to Ukraine. Far-left populist leader Sahra Wagenknecht, who participated in the Berlin protests, has long called for an end to arms shipments to Kiev and opposes U.S. plans to deploy long-range missiles in Germany. Germany, which is the second largest provider of military aid to Ukraine after the United States, plans to cut its aid budget in half next year.
Ukraine says a Russian drone strike has killed three people, including a young child, in the northern border region of Chernihiv. Ukraine's National Police said on Telegram that a Russian drone hit a gasoline truck that was delivering homes in a border village. “The truck exploded and the house went up in flames.” Police said three people were killed in the explosion, including a child born in 2018. Four other people were hospitalized, including two children aged 4 and 13.
The Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed reports that Russian troops had captured the town of Vkhledar in eastern Ukraine.praised the decisive actions taken by units within the “East” military group. The town, which Russia calls Uguleda, has resisted Russian attacks for more than two years.
Croatia's prime minister announced Thursday that Croatia will host a Balkan summit on Ukraine, which Zelenskiy will also attend.. The purpose of the conference, to be held in the southern Adriatic resort of Dubrovnik, is for “the entire region to support Ukraine and the Ukrainian people in the fight for freedom,” Andrei Plenkovic told a regular government meeting. According to a government statement, the meeting will be held on Wednesday.
