The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, and the President of the United States, Donald Trump, will meet on Wednesday at the NATO summit in The Hague, where the NATO Secretary-General calls for increased defense spending amidst the war in Ukraine that has been ongoing for over three years.
"Given the long-term threat posed by Russia, but also the significant military expansion of China and the fact that China, North Korea, and Iran are supporting the war effort in Ukraine, it is really important that we spend more. So that will be the number one point on today's agenda," stated Mark Rutte, NATO Secretary-General.
Ukrainian drones attacked a grain facility, a school, residential houses, and a sports complex in the Russian region of Rostov, bordering Ukraine, causing damage, as reported by Russian authorities on Wednesday.
The Russian Defense Ministry reported that their units destroyed a total of 40 Ukrainian drones overnight over various Russian regions and Crimea.
On the other hand, Ukrainian air defenses shot down or diverted 52 out of the 71 drones launched by Russia against their territory. The remaining drones hit various locations in southern Ukraine and the northeastern regions bordering Russia.
The death toll from the Russian daytime attack on the city of Dnipro on Tuesday has risen to at least 18, with nearly 300 injured.
"The only country posing a threat to the Alliance is Russia"
The President of Finland, Alexander Stubb, stated on Wednesday that the only country in Europe posing a threat to the Alliance is Russia. He emphasized Finland's responsibility in the allied defense against Moscow, given NATO's increased border with Russia following its entry into the organization due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Stubb views the NATO summit in The Hague as historic, marking the birth of a new Atlantic Alliance with a better balance of power and the establishment of a Europe assuming greater responsibilities.
Simultaneously, the Finnish leader believes it signifies a return to NATO's roots as a collective defense system against Russia.
Germany and Norway Sign Arms Agreement for Ukraine
The Defense Ministers of Germany and Norway, Boris Pistorius and Tore Onshuus, signed an agreement on Wednesday for the joint acquisition of 'Joint Strike Missile' (JSM) for F-35 aircraft, as reported by Efe.
The German representative linked the agreement as part of the security and defense cooperation between both countries, including continued support to Ukraine against Russia, as well as the joint development of anti-ship missiles.
"NATO has nothing to do in Ukraine"
The Prime Minister of Hungary, Viktor Orban, stated on Wednesday that "the real threat to Europe is the loss of competitiveness, and NATO has nothing to do in Ukraine," according to Reuters.
These statements were made before the start of the NATO leaders' summit in The Hague. The Hungarian leader clarified that the international alliance is "much stronger."
Ukraine Present in the Meeting Between the US and Turkey
The Presidents of the United States, Donald Trump, and the Republic of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, held a meeting during the NATO leaders' summit.
In the meeting, Erdogan emphasized the importance of ending the humanitarian tragedy in Gaza as soon as possible and continuing dialogue for a peaceful solution to the war between Russia and Ukraine, as reported by Efe.
Ukraine Confirms Trump-Zelenski Meeting on Wednesday in The Hague
The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, and the President of the United States, Donald Trump, will meet on Wednesday at the NATO summit in The Hague, confirmed by a source from the Ukrainian presidency to Afp.
The talks are scheduled to start at 12:30 GMT, according to the same source.
Ukraine Neutralizes 52 of the 71 Drones Launched by Russia Against Its Territory
Ukrainian air defenses intercepted or jammed with electronic interference 52 out of the 71 drones - unmanned attack aircraft and their replicas used by the Russians to confuse the enemy - launched by Russia against Ukrainian territory, according to the Ukrainian Air Force report, as reported by Efe.
Of the total neutralized drones, 32 were shot down. The remaining 20 crashed without causing consequences due to the radio-electronic warfare measures employed by Ukrainians to neutralize them.
The Ukrainian Air Force recorded drone impacts in 6 locations in the regions of Odesa, southern Ukraine, and Sumy and Kharkiv, bordering Russia and located in the northeast of the country.
Russia and Ukraine continue daily exchanges of long-distance drone attacks, resulting in a significantly higher number of civilian casualties on the Ukrainian side.
Daily Report of Russian Casualties, According to Ukrainian Defense
Remains of Drones Found in Ukraine Indicate Russia Uses New Iranian Technology
Last week, Ukrainian drone hunters collecting the remnants of the Russian nighttime assault on their cities found a weapon that stood out: it had an advanced camera, a computer platform with artificial intelligence, and a radio link allowing an operator to pilot it remotely from Russia.
Most Russian unmanned attack aircraft are black, explained Serhii Beskrestnov, an electronics expert better known as Flash to the Ap agency. Instead, the stickers followed an "Iranian standard labeling system," he added.
Experts speaking to Ap said the labels are not conclusive evidence, but the English words match how Iran marks its drones. Moscow has bombed Ukraine almost every night with Iranian-designed drones during the war, which has been ongoing for over three years.
Although some carry nuclear warheads, many are decoys. Russia is enhancing its drone technology and tactics, increasingly hitting Ukraine with more success. However, the UK Ministry of Defense stated that Israel's attacks on Iran "are likely to have a negative impact on future Iranian military supplies to Russia," as Tehran had provided "significant quantities" of attack drones to Moscow.
Rutte Asserts There Is No Alternative to Increased Defense Spending Due to the Russian Threat
"Given the long-term threat posed by Russia, but also the significant military expansion of China and the fact that North Korea, China, and Iran are supporting the war effort in Ukraine, it is really important that we spend more. So that will be the number one point on today's agenda," stated Rutte to the press before commencing the working sessions in The Hague.
There is no alternative to increased defense spending in the face of the Russian threat, as declared on Wednesday by NATO Chief Mark Rutte at The Hague Summit gathering world leaders, as reported by Reuters.
Death Toll Rises to 18 and Nearly 300 Injured in Russian Attack on Dnipro on Tuesday
The number of deaths in the daytime Russian attack on the city of Dnipro on Tuesday has increased to at least 18, with nearly 300 injured, as reported by the governor of Dnipropetrovsk region, Serhiy Lisak, who estimated the number of injured.
Lisak explained that many people were in the impact area when Russia launched the attack. Several of the injured are in critical condition.
The governor had previously reported damages to various buildings and a passenger train where civilians were injured.
In his X account, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha denounced that the attack caused damage "to a passenger train" and to schools, kindergartens, and a hospital.
Ukrainian media reported that Russia carried out this attack with a ballistic missile.
Zelenski Addresses the Council of Europe
Possible Drone Attack on Russian Unmanned Aircraft Installation Atlant-Aero
According to various unofficial Russian and Ukrainian Telegram channels, there was information about a possible drone attack on the Russian unmanned aircraft installation Atlant-Aero in Taganrog.
Reuters could not independently verify the information about the potential attack on the drone factory.
Ukrainian Drones Damage Grain Warehouse and School in Rostov
Ukrainian drone attacks damaged a grain facility, a school, residential houses, and a sports complex in the Russian region of Rostov, bordering Ukraine, as reported by Russian authorities on Wednesday.
The Russian Defense Ministry stated in a Telegram post that their units destroyed a total of 40 Ukrainian drones overnight across various Russian regions and the Crimean peninsula.
The Governor of Rostov, Yuri Slyusar, mentioned in Telegram that there were no injuries resulting from the attacks, but it caused a fire in a sports complex and damaged a school and two apartment buildings in the city of Taganrog.