BRUSSELS (Reuters) – 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 U.S. President Donald Trump.
Zelenskiy said he and Rutte had visited a hospital where Ukrainian soldiers were recovering from their wounds.
“We spoke with our warriors. I presented state awards to our defenders. I am grateful to our guys for their strength, resilience, and for protecting our people,” he said on X.
“I also presented awards to the combat medics,” he added. “I thank everyone who defends, treats, endures, and supports Ukraine. You are our strength.”
(Reporting by Bart Meijer, Geert De Clercq and Anastasiia Malenko; Writing by Andrew Gray; Editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise)
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