The Netherlands signed a security agreement with Ukraine, Prime Minister Scholz decided not to let the German army participate in the conflict in Ukraine, Kiev approved a cooperation plan with NATO in 2024... are updated news about the situation in Ukraine.
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| London calls on Berlin to provide Taurus missiles to Ukraine. (Source: Youtube) |
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on March 1 that his country and the Netherlands have signed a security agreement, paving the way for Amsterdam to provide Kiev with up to 2 billion euros in military aid this year.
“Today, Prime Minister Mark Rutte and I signed a bilateral security agreement. This document allows for military assistance worth 2 billion euros from the Netherlands, as well as boosting military assistance for the next 10 years,” President Zelensky said on social media.
The information was released after a meeting between the leaders of Ukraine and the Netherlands in Kharkov.
Kiev has faced mounting pressure on the frontline in recent months, forcing it to urge its Western allies to send more aid.
Last month, Ukraine warned that it had received only about 30% of the ammunition it had been promised by the European Union and was struggling to keep up with the fighting, which has forced the Ukrainian army to withdraw from the town of Avdeevka.
* On the same day, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced that he would not accept any decision to involve the German army in the conflict in Ukraine.
This is seen as a response to British criticism of the German leader's reluctance to supply Taurus long-range cruise missiles to Ukraine.
London had previously privately called on Berlin to supply Taurus missiles and expressed displeasure at Chancellor Scholz's comments about Britain's activities in Ukraine, Politico reported.
“I will not support any decision that would lead to the German military somehow participating in a military operation related to the Russia-Kreine conflict,” Politico quoted Mr. Scholz as saying at the Munich Security Conference.
* Earlier, on the same day, March 1, Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov signed a cooperation program between Kiev and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) for 2024, which includes plans to continue restructuring the Ukrainian armed forces according to NATO standards, as well as strengthen cooperation between Kiev and this military alliance.
The program includes 50 steps to achieve 17 goals, such as completing the transformation of the command and management system to NATO standards; establishing a joint Ukraine-NATO analysis, training and education center; developing national documents in the defense sector to NATO standards; introducing changes to Ukrainian legislation to strengthen civilian control over the military.
In September 2022, Ukraine applied to join NATO on a priority basis and was assured at the NATO Summit in Vilnius (Lithuania) in July 2023 that Kiev would be accepted if it met the necessary requirements.
However, there is currently no timetable for Ukraine’s accession. Meanwhile, NATO has repeatedly pointed out that Ukraine’s membership is impossible while the country remains in a state of armed conflict.
Earlier, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Ukraine was trying to put pressure on NATO member states about joining. He warned that Ukraine's potential membership would have very negative consequences for European security and would provoke a strong reaction from Russia.
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