General Mark Rutte, newly appointed NATO Secretary, visited Ukraine as part of his first foreign visit.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky announced this.

”It immediately and clearly outlines the priorities, highlighting where the shared values of the entire Euro-Atlantic region are being defended right now. It also emphasizes that we in Ukraine can count on Mark’s continued personal leadership,” Zelensky said.

Zelensky emphasized that our key objective is Ukraine’s full membership in the Alliance.

During the meeting, Rutte discussed the Victory Plan of Ukraine with Zelensky, the situation on the battlefield, the defense forces’ existing needs, and Ukraine’s needs for air defense and additional cooperation with its neighbors.

“As winter approaches, it is crucial to implement all the agreements regarding air defense, especially those discussed at the NATO summit in Washington,” the President noted.

Mark Rutte noted that this was his fifth visit to Ukraine since the beginning of the full-scale Russian-Ukrainian war.

Rutte’s statements

“We visited Odesa together, we visited Kharkiv, and obviously, we had many meetings here in Kyiv. But this is my first visit as NATO Secretary General, and it was important for me to come to Ukraine at the beginning of my mandate,” the NATO Secretary General said.

Rutte said that his priority as the new NATO Secretary General is to continue to support Ukraine and work together to ensure victory over Russia.

The NATO Secretary General recalled that at the NATO summit in Washington this summer, Allies agreed they could provide Ukraine with more equipment, military training, and support.

Allies also agreed on financial commitments. With a baseline level of military assistance of EUR 40 billion over the course of a year. These commitments will be reviewed annually to ensure Ukraine has what it needs to win.

“Ukraine is closer to NATO now than ever before. And we will continue to follow this path until you become a member of our Alliance. I look forward to that day,” Rutte said.

Answering journalists’ questions, Rutte stated that Ukraine’s path to NATO is irreversible.

“And I think the day will come when Ukraine will become a full member of NATO. And let me add to that, if someone might think otherwise, that Russia has no say in this matter and no veto,” he pointed out.

Interception of Russian missiles and drones over NATO countries

Journalists asked Rutte about intercepting Russian missiles and drones that fly into the territory of NATO member states. According to the Secretary General, this decision is the responsibility of the national armed forces.

“Of course, it is the decision of national authorities to shoot down drones or missiles that violate Alliance territory. NATO has already significantly strengthened its air defense on the eastern flank. And we fully recognize the rights of each Ally to defend its own airspace. And, of course, this is also an issue for NATO as a whole,” Rutte said.

He added that NATO’s leadership will continue to work with the Alliance’s authorities to ensure effective air and missile defense.