Rutte on striking St Petersburg during Putin's forum: Needs a special decree by Zelenskyy, like parade on 9 May

NATO sees no problem with Ukraine striking St Petersburg on the day the St Petersburg International Economic Forum, Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin's key international event, opens there.

Rutte drew a parallel between the forum and the so-called Victory Day parade on 9 May, an event that was highly important for Putin. [Victory Day is a Russian holiday commemorating the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in 1945 – ed.]

"Ukraine is now so successful that Putin is only able to organise a 9 May parade with an official presidential decree by this President," Rutte said, pointing to Zelenskyy.

Rutte addressed Zelenskyy recalling those events: "I think for two hours you allowed him [Putin] to do it? And it ended in 1 hour and 55 minutes, so he didn't risk."

Ahead of the 9 May parade, Zelenskyy, responding to appeals from partners, guaranteed that Moscow would not face Ukrainian strikes and formally authorised Putin, by his decree, to hold a parade on Red Square. Many observers saw the incident as an illustration of Russia's weakness.

Rutte also emphasised that Russia is the aggressor in the war against Ukraine.

Zelenskyy added that the aim was not to target Putin personally, who plans to attend the St Petersburg International Economic Forum in the coming days.

"To be honest, I don't follow it. I don't have an agenda of where Putin is going on which day. We respond to strikes on Ukraine. I believe we carry out fair strikes. There was a large-scale attack a day ago and we responded accordingly. But we respond exclusively against oil refineries and military targets, legitimate targets. That is what Ukraine does," he said.

Mark Rutte, during a visit to Ukraine, has spoken about rising Russian losses in the war and made a public address to Russian youth.

Rutte and Zelenskyy also said that neither side is abandoning the need for Ukraine to join the Alliance.