Wapen deals, medal and security guarantees on Ukrainian Independence Day
The Ukrainian Independence Day is dominated by the war with Russia this year. Foreign Department Leakders are today visiting the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, where they not only attend ceremonies, but are also talking about arms deliveries and security guarantees for Ukraine.
The Ukrainian parliament proclaimed independence on 24 August 1991 during the disintegration of the Soviet Union. “We will defend our independence, our country and the right to an independent national life for Ukrainians,” wrote the Ukrainian President Zensky on his Telegram channel today. A message that he later repeated on Independence Square, the Maidan. “Here you can really feel what independence means, why it is so important to us.”
International Visit
Since the large -scale invasion of Russia in 2022, the holiday can also count on extra interest from the Ukrainian allies. Various heads of government and heads of state today have congratulated the Ukrainian president and the Ukrainian people on social media on this holiday. Many of them also thought about the war and again expressed their support. For example, King Willem-Alexander wrote: “You can trust that the Netherlands will assist you with every step. As long as it is necessary.”
Zensky has very thanked them one by one on X. “We greatly appreciate the attention of the royal family for the Ukrainian people, as well as all the support we have received from the Netherlands and the entire Dutch people,” Zensky responded to the King’s message, for example.
There are several foreign leaders visiting Ukraine today. Prime Minister Schoof would also be in Kyiv this weekend, but because of all the political developments in the Netherlands he canceled his visit. He did speak the president by telephone. Schoof wrote on x to travel to Ukraine as quickly as possible.
Appointments canada
Zensky also met today the Canadian Prime Minister Carney, who announced that his country will send drones, ammunition and armored vehicles to Ukraine next month. Converted, it is a arms delivery of more than 600 million euros.
The US President Trump believes that it is up to European countries to guarantee the safety of Ukraine with so -called boots on the ground , soldiers in Ukraine. After the Alaska summit, he also spoke with Russian President Putin about “exchanging” territory between the two countries.
Zelensky seemed to refer to that in his speech on the Maidan. “Ukraine will never be forced in history to the shame that the Russians call a compromise,” he said. “We need a just peace.” What the future of the country will be is on Ukraine alone, he emphasized. “The world knows that and the world respects that.”
“Ukraine uses its own weapons to attack Russia,” Zensky responds today to the reports from the American newspaper. “We have not talked about such issues with the US lately.”
Prison exchange
Russia and Ukraine today exchanged prisoners. According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, each country has returned 146 prisoners of war. Ukraine does not mention any numbers.
Zensky says that in addition to soldiers, border guards and members of the National Guard, citizens have also returned from Russia. On social media, he specifically mentions the Ukrainian journalist DMYtro Chyljoek, who was abducted from his house not far from Kyiv in March 2022 and has since been held by Russia.