As part of a surprise visit to the Netherlands, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte on Thursday to discuss possible defense support for Kiev, reported Xinhua.
Zelensky arrived from Helsinki, Finland, on Wednesday evening, where he had attended a summit with Nordic nations — Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden.
On Thursday morning, he met with members of the two houses of parliament, the House of Representatives and the Senate. Later he paid a short visit to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Hague.
Zelensky also delivered a speech at the World Forum conference center in the Hague, calling for Europe's continued defense support for his country.
From there, he went to the Catshuis, the official residence of Prime Minister Mark Rutte in the Hague, for a meeting with the Dutch PM.
Speaking at a joint press conference with Rutte, Zelensky urged European countries to approve more defense aid to his country, including "modern aircraft" and pilot training.
Rutte said the Netherlands is in talks with other European partners over the possibility of providing F-16 fighters to Ukraine.
"We are not there yet," Rutte said, adding that it takes time to bring the 'sensitive' issue to a conclusion.
- Ukraine
- Netherlands
Source: www.dailyfinland.fi
