Newly appointed NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte arrives in Kyiv

The politician has already held talks with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy - following the meeting, they held a press conference.

Zelenskyy noted that Rutte's first visit as NATO head is to Ukraine.

"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," the president noted.

Zelenskyy added that the key goal of Ukraine is full membership in the Alliance. He said that he discussed with Rutte the plan for the victory of Ukraine, the situation on the battlefield, the existing needs of our units and Ukrainian needs in air defense and in additional cooperation with neighbors.

"As winter approaches, it is crucial to implement all the agreements regarding air defense, especially those discussed at the NATO summit in Washington," Zelenskyy wrote.

Rutte – new Secretary General of NATO

The former Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Mark Rutte, officially assumed the post of Secretary General of NATO on October 1, replacing Jens Stoltenberg.

Stoltenberg had held the post of NATO secretary general since 2014. His second four-year term ended on September 30, 2022, but due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the authority of the official was extended several times. The last time — in the summer of 2023, although Stoltenberg himself admitted that he did not want to.

Against this background, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte nominated his candidacy for the position of the new NATO Secretary General, receiving public support from the governments of the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, and France.