At its summit, NATO is discussing more aid for Ukraine. The recent attack on a children’s hospital in Kiev is also a topic of discussion in Washington.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has announced the reconstruction of the children’s hospital in Kiev, which was badly damaged in a Russian missile attack. 100 million hryvnia (equivalent to 2.3 million euros) have already been allocated to support the hospital, and another 300 million hryvnia will follow, said Zelensky. He thanked all private donors who have supported the clinic and promised help to all families whose relatives were killed or injured in the attack.
More than 40 people were killed and well over 100 injured in the rocket attack on Ukraine on Monday. The shelling of a children’s hospital in Kyiv caused international dismay. At an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council, the Russian actions were sharply criticized.
Moscow speaks of Ukrainian PR after rocket attack
“This is, of course, a PR stunt, in this case a blood-based PR stunt,” said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. The Ukrainians were so clumsy in using their anti-aircraft defenses that one of these missiles hit the hospital, he claimed in an interview with Russian state television. Now Kiev is trying to exploit this tragedy as a backdrop for President Volodymyr Zelensky’s participation in the NATO summit.
USA and partners promise Kyiv to strengthen air defense
The USA and other NATO countries want to supply Ukraine with additional equipment to defend against Russian air attacks. US President Joe Biden announced this at a ceremony in Washington to mark the 75th anniversary of the defense alliance. In a joint statement by the USA and several partners, there was also talk of “additional” Patriot air defense systems.
In addition, dozens of tactical air defense systems – such as Nasams or Iris-T – are to be sent to Kiev, it said. “These systems will further expand and strengthen Ukraine’s air defense.” The joint statement came from the USA, Germany, the Netherlands, Romania and Italy, among others.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed his gratitude in Washington. On Platform X, he wrote that the Patriots and air defense systems would help “destroy Russian drones and missiles and better protect Ukrainians from Russian terror from the air,” such as in the brutal attack on the country’s most important children’s hospital.
According to its own statements, Kiev has so far received a total of four Patriot systems. Three of them were provided by Germany. Another was promised by Romania, among others.
The war in Ukraine is one of the main topics at the NATO summit in Washington. The heads of state and government of the 32 member states of the defense alliance are celebrating NATO’s 75th anniversary there.
Pistorius appeals to NATO: More Ukraine help needed
Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) called on NATO partners to increase military support for Ukraine. According to the budget plans, there is “no gap in that sense” in German funding, but it is a smaller amount than this year, said the SPD politician on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Washington. The common task is to “help Ukraine with what it needs, but also with what we can afford.”
Pistorius said: “But at the same time, please understand this as an appeal to all other partners in Europe to do more to lead Ukraine through this year and the next.”
Putin and Modi vow close cooperation in Moscow
During his two-day visit to Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised the partnership between the two countries. Both praised the decades-long relationship as a “privileged strategic partnership” that should be further expanded. In a joint statement after the talks, it was said that the two countries wanted to continue to cooperate on military technologies. The joint production of spare parts for Russian weapons and defense equipment in India should therefore be promoted.
According to the government in Moscow, India has also become the largest buyer of Russian oil against the backdrop of Western sanctions. “India is the most important market and today India is one of our key partners in the energy sector,” said Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak, according to the Interfax news agency. According to him, Russia delivered 90 million tons of oil to India last year.
Video address by Zelensky
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
