On Thursday, October 3rd, the new NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte visited Ukraine, marking his first official visit since taking office. He pledged NATO’s continued support for Ukraine in its resistance against Russia’s aggression.
Former Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Rutte, who assumed the position of NATO’s 14th Secretary-General on Tuesday, expressed strong support for Ukraine and condemned China for being a key enabler of Russia’s actions in the conflict.
During his visit to Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital, that saw air raid alarms sound twice, Rutte met with Ukrainian President Zelensky. In a joint press conference with Zelensky, Rutte affirmed, “NATO stands with Ukraine, supporting Ukraine and bolstering our own stockpiles meaning increasing industrial production, which will be my top priority.”
Rutte also stated his belief that he could cooperate with whoever emerges as the strongest member of the alliance – the President of the United States elected in November. This moment is crucial for Ukraine’s efforts to ensure ongoing Western support.
Zelensky mentioned discussing the contents of the “Victory Plan” for Ukraine with Rutte. They also addressed the battlefield situation and specific needs of Ukrainian military units. Zelensky emphasized Ukraine’s requirement for more weaponry, including long-range weapons.
Next week, the Ramstein Air Base in Germany will host a regular meeting for Ukraine’s allies, with over fifty defense leaders from partner countries attending to discuss and send military equipment to assist Ukraine in countering Russian aggression.
When asked about the potential impact of the Middle East conflict on the projected timeline of the “Victory Plan,” Zelensky pointed out that the United States and United Kingdom have stated that Iran provided missiles and drones to Russia to use against Ukraine.
Zelensky has yet to convince the U.S. to allow the use of ATACMS long-range missiles to target objectives within Russia. He reiterated Ukraine’s need to bolster its position on the battlefield to increase pressure on Russia for justice and genuine diplomacy, citing delays in the provision of long-range weapons by their partners.
Rutte responded by acknowledging that allies understand Ukraine’s “urgent needs” and expressed willingness to collaborate with Ukraine to help establish domestic production capabilities for more weapons, emphasizing the importance of further investment and innovation.
Rutte reiterated NATO’s unwavering support for Ukraine, asserting that “Ukraine is closer to NATO than ever before.” He highlighted recent NATO initiatives such as 40 billion euros (44 billion USD) in financial support, bilateral security agreements between allies, and the establishment of a new NATO command center to coordinate assistance and training.