NATO’s Rutte Visits Odesa, Says Support for Ukraine Unwavering
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said he had visited the southern Ukrainian city of Odesa with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Tuesday and declared NATO’s support for Ukraine was unwavering.
Rutte’s visit was a show of solidarity with Kyiv following a Russian missile strike on the northern city of Sumy on Sunday that killed 35 people and wounded more than 100.
“Ukraine’s people have endured so much – not least Russia’s Palm Sunday attack on Sumy. NATO support is unwavering,” Rutte said in a post on social media platform X.
“We will continue to help Ukraine so it can defend today and deter future aggression, ensuring a just and lasting peace.”
The trip took place as the United States – NATO’s dominant power – is seeking to broker a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine and it followed fresh criticism of Zelenskiy by US President Donald Trump.
Zelenskiy said he and Rutte had visited a hospital where Ukrainian soldiers were recovering from their wounds.
