THE AMERICA ONE NEWS
Jun 3, 2025  |  
0
 | Remer,MN
Sponsor:  QWIKET 
Sponsor:  QWIKET 
Sponsor:  QWIKET: Elevate your fantasy game! Interactive Sports Knowledge.
Sponsor:  QWIKET: Elevate your fantasy game! Interactive Sports Knowledge and Reasoning Support for Fantasy Sports and Betting Enthusiasts.
back  
topic
Euromaidanpress
Euromaidan Press
6 Oct 2024
Yevheniia Martyniuk


Dutch Defense Minister makes surprise visit to war-torn Kharkiv

Amidst constant Russian shelling, Ruben Brekelmans witnessed children attending classes in specially built underground schools.
Dutch Defense Minister makes surprise visit to war-torn Kharkiv
Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans in Kharkiv, 6 October 2024. Photo: Brekelmans via X/Twitter
Dutch Defense Minister makes surprise visit to war-torn Kharkiv

Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans recently made an unannounced visit to Kharkiv, a Ukrainian city just 40 km from the Russian border that faces constant shelling. 

The Netherlands has been at the forefront of military aid to Ukraine, notably being the first to provide modern F-16 fighter jets. In March 2024, both countries signed a decade-long Security Cooperation Agreement in Kharkiv.

During his visit, Brekelmans witnessed firsthand the impact of Russian attacks. 

“In Kharkiv, I saw destroyed apartments, power shortages, and children attending school in shelters. Ukraine can only defend itself by keeping Russia at a greater distance,” he wrote on X/Twitter.

Brekelmans also toured the wider Kharkiv Oblast on 5 October, an area that continues to endure relentless Russian attacks. The region’s proximity to the Russian border makes it particularly vulnerable to ongoing military operations.

Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans in Kharkiv Oblast, 5 October 2024. Photo: Oleh Syniehubov, head of the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration, via Telegram

In September, Brekelmans stated that Ukraine could use Dutch-supplied weapons, including F-16s, for strikes within Russian territory without range restrictions. However, such operations would require American JASSM missiles, which Ukraine currently lacks.

While Ukraine seeks approval for using Western weapons to strike inside Russia, allies like the US remain cautious about potential escalation risks.

Read more: