War 'may last longer' than hoped: Dutch PM in Kyiv
The war in Ukraine may last longer than anyone hoped, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said Monday during a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv.
"This war may last longer than we all hoped or expected. But that does not mean we can sit back and passively watch how it unfolds," Rutte said.
"We have to stay focused and continue to support Ukraine in every way," he added.
On his first visit to Kyiv since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, Rutte said his country would supply Ukraine with more long-range artillery and an aid package for 200 million euro ($201 million).
Following their meeting, Zelensky on his Telegram channel welcomed the "constructive" talks and the decision to supply weapons to Ukraine.
Also Ukraine warned Monday that Russian forces were preparing to intensify their fight for key cities in the Donbas, where the death toll from a weekend attack rose to 26 as rocket strikes killed six in the country's second city.
In eastern Ukraine -- the focal point for a grinding Russian offensive -- 26 people were left dead by Russian strikes over the weekend on the town of Chasiv Yar in the Donetsk region, the emergency services said.
