NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has spoken out in favor of continuing talks about handing over Western fighter jets to Ukraine.
(Photo: dpa)
Kyiv Against the background of the expected counter-offensive by Kiev, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy reported on the creation of new military units. “We are also actively preparing new brigades and units that will prove themselves at the front,” the 45-year-old said in his daily video address on Friday. His meetings with the General Staff are about providing all means to liberate Ukraine from Russian occupation.
“All of us in Ukraine must understand that the main task of the state is to liberate our territories, to bring back our land and our people from Russian captivity.” State resources are mainly used for this, said the head of state. The front has top priority, he emphasized.
He also thanked the Western partners who are helping Ukraine to defend itself as part of the Ramstein format. “Your determination fully reflects the actual situation and needs on the battlefield,” said Zelenskiy.
Pistorius promises repair center for Leopard tanks in Poland from May
From Ramstein there were some new commitments to Kiev: Leopard tanks from Germany that were damaged in the Ukraine war are to be repaired in Poland in the future and thus be able to return to the front more quickly.
Federal Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) agreed on Friday in Ramstein with his colleagues from Warsaw and Kiev to set up a corresponding repair center. A fund solution was agreed for the “fair distribution” of the costs of 150 to 200 million euros per year.
The center will probably start work at the end of May and will also show the determination of Ukraine’s partners to continue supporting the country in its war against Russia, Pistorius said on the sidelines of the Ukraine contact group meeting at the US military base in Ramstein.
Leopard tanks from Germany are to be repaired in Poland in the future.
(Photo: Reuters)
Next week there will be a first working session. Pistorius also announced that more than 100 Ukrainian soldiers would be trained on the Leopard 1 main battle tank from (today) Saturday.
Latvia wants to hand over all Stinger anti-aircraft missiles to Ukraine
Latvia, meanwhile, has announced it will supply arms to the country under Russian attack, following talks in Ramstein over further western military aid to Ukraine. According to the Defense Ministry of the Baltic EU and NATO country, all of the Stinger anti-aircraft missiles still in stock by the Latvian armed forces are to be handed over to Kiev.
Spain wants to deliver tanks to Ukraine in the next few days
According to Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares, Spain wants to deliver six Leopard tanks out of a total of ten promised to Ukraine in the coming days. “After that there will be a second package with four more tanks,” Albares told the Funke Mediengruppe newspapers (Saturday). These are older Type 2A4 Leopard tanks.
“We will support Ukraine for as long as it needs,” Albares said, referring to Russia’s war of aggression. “This includes humanitarian aid, taking in refugees and supplying defensive weapons.”
These were used for self-defense and to restore Ukraine’s territorial integrity. “And within the internationally recognized borders, including Crimea. But the final decision is in the hands of the Ukrainian government,” Albares added.
Stoltenberg wants further talks about fighter jets for Ukraine
Most European heads of state remain reserved on the question of supplying Western fighter jets to Ukraine. However, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has spoken out in favor of continuing talks about handing over Western fighter jets to Ukraine.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces held exercises at a military base in Zaporizhia in April.
(Photo: dpa)
Deliveries by alliance partners must be discussed further, Stoltenberg said on Friday on the sidelines of the Ramstein meeting.
IAEA warns of escalation around Zaporizhia nuclear plant
While military preparations for the expected Ukrainian counter-offensive are underway, fears about possible consequences are being expressed. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), for example, has warned of a nuclear accident as a result of the increasing hostilities surrounding the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine.
This is how the Handelsblatt reports on the Ukraine war:
“I saw clear signs of military preparations in the area when I visited Zaporizhia NPP three weeks ago,” IAEA Director Rafael Grossi said on Friday, according to a statement from the agency. Since then, the nuclear experts stationed on site have repeatedly registered explosions in the immediate vicinity of the plant.
He was “deeply concerned” about the current situation. The precarious situation requires further pressure so that the facility is neither shot at nor used as a starting point for attacks. He will continue to negotiate with Russians and Ukrainians in this regard, said Grossi.
What will be important on Saturday
While the Ukrainian counter-offensive is expected shortly, Russia is still attacking targets in the Donbass region. The situation has escalated especially around the city of Bachmut, which has been under siege for months. The Russian attackers are trying to cut off the supply routes of the Ukrainian garrison in the city.
More: Current news on the development of the Ukraine war can be found in our news blog