Britain, Canada, Netherlands promise to provide Ukraine with additional defense support packages
Britain, Canada and the Netherlands have promised to provide Ukraine with additional defense support packages, British, Canadian and Dutch prime ministers Boris Johnson, Justin Trudeau and Mark Rutte have said.
"We call on the international community to support Ukraine's right to self-defense and respond to Ukraine's calls to strengthen its self-defense capabilities. We will continue to do so and provide additional defense support packages to Ukraine," the prime ministers said in a joint statement on Russia's invasion of Ukraine, published on the website of the British government on Monday.
They stressed that they would continue to strongly support Ukraine and salute the heroism and strength of the Ukrainian resistance led by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
"Together we have provided significant economic and humanitarian assistance," the statement said.
Johnson, Trudeau and Rutte called on Russia to fulfill its obligations to fully comply with international humanitarian and human rights law, and to immediately implement a ceasefire that provides safe passage for civilians, food and medicine.
"We have witnessed the widespread and indiscriminate use of force against civilians. This is prohibited by international humanitarian law. We will spare no effort to ensure that violations of international law in Ukraine are investigated, evidence is collected and those responsible are brought to justice," the statement says.
In addition, the heads of government condemned in the strongest possible terms the use of force by Russia in the immediate vicinity of Ukrainian nuclear power plants and other nuclear facilities and called on Russia to immediately stop these hostilities.
The prime ministers said that while the humanitarian situation in Ukraine continues to deteriorate, they again call on Russia to urgently de-escalate and prioritize the protection of civilians.
"Ukraine's humanitarian agencies, the UN and others, medical personnel and non-governmental organizations must have safe, fast and unhindered access," Johnson, Trudeau and Rutte said.
The prime ministers called on the friends of Ukraine to unite in support of a common commitment to maintaining and coordinating political, humanitarian, economic and defense support.
"Today, we invite friends of Ukraine to unite in support of a common commitment to maintaining and coordinating the political, humanitarian, economic and defense support that is so important for a free and independent Ukraine, and to continue to hold Russia accountable for its invasion," the statement said.
