Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky said on Monday that Ukraine's Western allies should not only allow their weapons to be used for strikes deep inside Russia, but also supply more of those weapons to Kiev, Reuters reports, as quoted by News.bg.
Ukraine has long urged its partners to allow it to use Western weapons on targets deep inside enemy territory, and those calls have intensified in the context of increasing Russian airstrikes against Ukrainian energy installations, infrastructure and residential buildings.
After meeting Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof in the southeastern Ukrainian city of Zaporozhye on Monday, Zelensky said Kiev was "more positive" about the prospects of obtaining such permission.
"Mere authorization is not enough," he said, adding that allies must ensure supplies of weapons for such attacks. "We didn't get everything we would have liked to use," Zelensky added.
He also noted that some supply agreements have not been fulfilled.
Zelensky mentioned that he had discussed strengthening Ukraine's air defenses with Schoff. He added that he had "some ideas" to increase the number of F-16s donated by allies, one of which was lost in a crash in Ukraine last week.
"We will continue to provide air defense equipment and the F-16, as well as munitions funding," Schoff said.
He added that the Netherlands would provide Ukraine with about 200 million euros ($221.4 million) for energy infrastructure repairs and humanitarian aid.
The Netherlands will deliver refurbished gas turbines worth 29.5 million euros and has allocated 45 million euros to repair energy infrastructure, the Dutch Foreign Ministry reports.
The money comes from a €400 million aid fund that the Dutch government pledged to Ukraine earlier this year.
Zelensky also commented on the situation on the front line, saying that Ukraine's cross-border incursion into Russia's western Kursk region is proceeding "according to plan".
He added that Ukraine believed the operation could help relieve pressure on the Pokrov Front in eastern Ukraine, where Russia has accelerated its advance.
For now, he said, the situation there remains difficult.