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.

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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