Mark Rutte, in a surprise visit to Odessa: "The events in Israel and Gaza will not distract us from supporting Ukraine"
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, visiting the Black Sea port of Odesa, vowed on Friday to improve Ukraine's air defences and to increase the security of a "humanitarian corridor" for grain exports, Reuters reports.
Zelenskiy said Kyiv was working to strengthen its position in the Black Sea so that it can continue grain exports, which are vital to ensuring budget revenues following a surge in defence spending following Russia's invasion last year.
"We are working with partners to protect properly these corridors, and strengthen our positions in the Black Sea, and it also applies to the protection of Odesa's skies and in the region as a whole ...," he told a joint press conference alongside Rutte.
Ukraine's government outlined details of Russian attacks on infrastructure and the results of the alternative "humanitarian" corridor organised by Ukraine since Russia abandoned a U.N.-backed accord on safe Black Sea grain shipments in July.
It said Russia has destroyed almost 300,000 metric tons of grain since July in attacks on Ukraine's port facilities and on ships. Russia's Defence Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Ukraine's allegations.
Rutte said the Netherlands would provide more Patriot air defence missiles to help Ukraine defend itself in the winter. The Netherlands would also help Ukraine acquire patrol boats, he said, to help keep the grain export route safe.
The Netherlands has provided Ukraine with financial aid and weapons during the war, and has led efforts to help train Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighter jets.
