The Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, General Valeri Zaluzhny (photo), informed the Chairman of NATO’s Military Committee, Dutch Admiral Rob Bauer, by letter that he could not attend the meeting scheduled to take place in Brussels.

The Ukrainian general explained that the reason he couldn’t show up was due to the “difficulties related to the defense against the Russian aggression”. However, he also declined to join the meeting via video link.

General Zaloujny was expected to brief NATO members about the counter-offensive he had proclaimed.