NU.nl regularly gives you an overview of the situation in Ukraine. This time: NATO has warned Russian President Vladimir Putin about the consequences of using nuclear weapons, although so far this does not seem to be the case. The residents of Kherson were ordered to leave due to heavy fighting in the south.

NATO’s firm statements came from Jens Stoltenberg. The NATO chief did not say when the alliance itself would use nuclear weapons to stop Russia. “Then a lot more needs to be done. That’s still a long way off.”

Josep Borrell, the foreign affairs coordinator for France and the European Union, said earlier this week that they would not retaliate with nuclear weapons if Russia deployed nuclear weapons. NATO deliberately left him in the middle, so Russia must continue to account for a fully escalating war.

According to Stoltenberg, Putin knows he can expect “serious consequences” if he crosses the “important line”. Dutch Defense Minister Kajsa Ollengren sent the same message: “We must respond calmly and not say what reaction it will lead to. At the same time, we must continue to insist on the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons.”

NATO comes with a small aid package, but Zelensky needs more

NATO also provided a small military aid package to Ukraine. For example, jamming devices are sent to Kyiv to combat Russian drones. Those kamikaze planes caused many casualties in air strikes this week.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had requested additional anti-aircraft fire. According to him, only 10 per cent of the necessary systems are in place. Thursday morning, Kyiv came under fire again and important infrastructure been hit.

In recent days, the Netherlands, France and Germany, among other countries, have submitted plans to quickly deliver new weapons. On Thursday, the UK joined that list. Prime Minister Liz Truss will supply the same AMRAAM anti-aircraft missiles as the Netherlands.

Evacuations in Kherson due to the approaching fierce battle

Before the missile attacks, the war was dominated by the Ukrainian counterattack. There is heavy fighting in the east and south. In the southern Kherson Province, Russia was said to have summoned civilians to leave the area. According to the British Ministry of Defense, this is happening because the Russians expect an escalation of the fighting in the province.

Kherson is one of four regions recently annexed by Russia. Practically no state recognizes that these areas are now Russian territory. The Russians do not fully control the province.

The United Nations on Thursday condemned the attempt to annex Russia. In the General Assembly, 143 out of 193 countries called the move illegal. There are no consequences for this condemnation, but it is seen as a sign that Russia is further isolating itself internationally. China and India abstained from the vote.

This is the second time that the United Nations has slapped Russia on its fingers. Shortly after the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February, the United Nations had already denounced Russia’s “aggression” in the strongest terms. Russia ignored the demand for the immediate withdrawal of its armed forces. The resolution was adopted by 141 member states at the time.

Erdogan wants to stop the bloodshed

Putin did not care about the United Nations on Thursday. He spoke with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the Kazakh capital, Astana. The couple reportedly talked about possible ways out of the war.

Before the meeting, Erdogan urged Putin to “end the bloodshed in Ukraine.” The Turkish and Russian media were unable to announce tangible results after the summit.

The leaders also discussed economic issues. Russia is very important to Turkey, as it provides a lot of grain, fertilizer and fuel. Erdogan said he wanted to do more to expand Russian grain and fertilizer exports to poor countries.

This is not the first time Erdogan has acted as a mediator. He maintains close relations with Russia and Ukraine. In addition, Turkey is a prominent member of NATO and has not announced sanctions against Russia. During previous talks, Erdogan took the initiative to keep the Ukrainian ports and the Black Sea out of the fray, allowing Ukrainian agricultural products to be exported again.