In Brussels, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and, together with Ukraine’s Minister of Defense Rustem Umerov, took part in a Ukraine – NATO Council meeting at the defense ministers' level. The meeting focused on steps to provide greater protection and security for Ukraine.
This was the third meeting between Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Mark Rutte since he took office as NATO Secretary General. According to the President, this demonstrates the high level of relations between Ukraine and the Alliance.
“Ukraine truly deserves to become NATO’s 33rd member one day, and we will do everything to make that happen. That’s why the first point of the Victory Plan is an invitation to NATO. Ukrainians have shown that we are capable of defending shared values,” stated Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
He emphasized that Ukraine’s invitation to the Alliance would strengthen the country diplomatically and bring it closer to a real and just peace.
“It would be politically wrong to leave Ukraine outside the Alliance when, in practice, Ukraine is already part of NATO,” the President added.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy also thanked partners from NATO that help us develop Ukrainian defense production, rebuild critical infrastructure, and provide us with military assistance.
“We count on the readiness of NATO members to deliver the already announced financial aid to Ukraine, totaling €40 billion, by the next NATO Summit in The Hague,” the President noted.
Mark Rutte emphasized that NATO member states had provided $20.9 billion in military aid to Ukraine in the first half of the year.
“I've spoken over the last three weeks with all allies. There is absolute unity. We will massively make sure that Ukraine has what it needs to fight the war against Russia. We will continue doing that,” the NATO Secretary General said.
According to him, this war has demonstrated that instability in Europe can have far-reaching global consequences.
“China has become a decisive enabler of Russia’s war against Ukraine. And it cannot continue to fuel the biggest conflict in Europe since the Second World War without this impacting on its interests and reputation. Iran and North Korea are fuelling Russia’s war machine with missiles and drones in return for support for their military industries. So we must be clear-eyed in our assessment of the challenges we face,” Mark Rutte stressed.
