NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte made a surprise visit to Kyiv on Tuesday, arriving just hours after Russia launched one of the largest drone and missile attacks so far this year.
Rutte and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky laid flowers at a central Kyiv memorial honoring soldiers killed in the Russian invasion.
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Later, Rutte addressed the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine’s parliament, calling for long-term peace and real security guarantees for the country.
“We want to ensure that peace lasts, so children can look to the future without fear and help build a great nation,” Rutte told lawmakers, according to the live broadcast of the parliamentary session.
He stressed that achieving this requires not only strong Ukrainian Armed Forces but also robust international support.
The United States, European countries, and Canada have already expressed readiness to provide assurances and security guarantees, he said.
Rutte also mentioned a “coalition of the willing,” which he said is making progress toward forming a framework for Ukraine’s future security guarantees.
Looking beyond a peace agreement, Rutte said NATO would be ready to implement security mechanisms immediately if a deal is signed, including air, naval, and other forms of alliance support.
“Allies who agree will participate directly; other NATO members will support in other ways,” he said.
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Rutte acknowledged that the path to ending the war will require “difficult and painful decisions,” but stressed that Ukraine must be confident that the sacrifices made so far have not been in vain.
Tusk, Other Western Officials Also Headed to Kyiv
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has also announced plans to visit Kyiv at the invitation of Zelensky, saying only that he would arrive “over the next few days.”
“At this critical moment, Ukraine must not be left completely alone,” Tusk wrote on X.
Earlier on Tuesday, Kyiv also hosted the current Chairperson-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis, and OSCE Secretary General Feridun Sinirlioğlu.
US special envoy Steve Witkoff has said he plans to travel to Kyiv soon, while former US envoy Keith Kellogg will visit in the coming weeks following a planned trip to Japan.
Previous Visits
Rutte last visited Ukraine in April 2025 on an unannounced trip. At that time, he and Zelensky toured Odesa and visited a hospital treating wounded Ukrainian service members.
The NATO chief met with injured troops and medical staff, praising both the resilience of Ukraine’s defenders and the work of doctors saving lives under wartime conditions.
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