Rutte makes first official visit to Kyiv as new NATO chief

Meeting with President Zelenskyy, they discussed Ukraine's NATO membership prospects, current battlefield situation, and urgent defense needs, particularly air defense systems ahead of winter.

Oct 3, 2024 - 10:00

Rutte makes first official visit to Kyiv as new NATO chief

rutte makes first official visit kyiv new nato chief secretary general mark ukrainian president volodymyr zelenskyy (in center) during rutte's 3 october 2024

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte made his first official foreign visit to Kyiv on 3 October, just days after assuming his new role. The visit underscores the Alliance’s continued prioritization of Ukraine amid Russia’s ongoing war.

Prior to his role as NATO Secretary General, Rutte served as the Dutch Prime Minister and was known as one of Kyiv’s strongest allies. He played a leading role in initiatives such as providing F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine. On 1 October, upon taking office as NATO Secretary General, Rutte had already signaled that Ukraine would remain one of his top priorities in light of Russia’s ongoing aggression.

During his visit, Rutte met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The two leaders held talks focused on Ukraine’s aspirations for NATO membership, the current battlefield situation, and the country’s immediate defense needs.

President Zelenskyy commented on the visit on X, stating,

“Mark Rutte’s first visit as NATO leader is to Ukraine. This is truly important. It immediately clarifies the priorities, where exactly the defense of the common values of the entire Euro-Atlantic area is currently taking place.”

The Ukrainian President emphasized that full NATO membership remains Ukraine’s key goal. He also noted that the discussions covered Ukraine’s Victory Plan, the situation on the battlefield, and the current needs of Ukrainian units, particularly in terms of air defense.

Zelenskyy stressed the importance of implementing all agreed-upon air defense arrangements before winter, including those discussed at the NATO summit in Washington.

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