Zelenskiy meets Dutch PM, seeks permission for long-range strikes against Russia

Addressing a joint news conference with visiting Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof in Ukraine's southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Monday (September 2) that allies should not only allow strikes deep inside Russia but also supply Kyiv with weapons to conduct such attacks.

 

Schoof is in Ukraine to present a package to help restore the country's badly damaged power infrastructure hit by Russian strikes on energy facilities nationwide.

 

Russia stepped up its strikes on the Ukrainian power grid in March in what Kyiv has said looked like a concerted effort to degrade the system ahead of next winter when people need electricity and heating most.

 

Zelenskiy wants the capability to hit back into Russian territory and on Tuesday he said Ukraine was "more positive" about the prospects of getting such permission.

 

He said he discussed with Schoof strengthening Ukraine's air defences. He mentioned there were "some ideas" on how to increase the fleet of F-16 jets, one of which Kyiv lost in a crash last week.

 

Schoof added the Netherlands would provide Ukraine with around 200 million euros to repair energy infrastructure and for humanitarian assistance.

 

The money comes from a 400 million euro aid fund the Dutch government pledged to Ukraine earlier this year.

 

Zelenskiy also commented on the frontline situation, saying Ukraine's major cross-border incursion into Russia's western region of Kursk was moving "according to the plan."