Newly appointed NATO chief Rutte arrives in Kyiv

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte visited Kyiv on Thursday, meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, according to a press release from the Alliance.

Rutte's visit to Kyiv is his first official trip abroad since taking office on Tuesday, October 1.

Following the meeting, Zelenskyy and Rutte held a joint press briefing.

"Mark Rutte’s first visit as NATO Secretary General is to Ukraine, and this is truly significant. 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," Zelenskyy commented on Rutte's visit.

The president noted that Ukraine's key goal is full membership in NATO. During the meeting, Zelenskyy and Rutte discussed Ukraine's Victory Plan, the situation on the battlefield, the needs of the Ukrainian army, and the requirements for air defense and additional cooperation with neighboring countries.

On October 1, former Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte officially took over as NATO Secretary General. He named Ukraine as his top priority.

Rutte advocated for long-range strikes with Western weapons on Russian soil but acknowledged that the decisions must be made individually by the Alliance members.