On April 15, a working meeting took place in Odessa between President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.
Zelensky reported that they discussed Ukraine’s urgent need for air defense systems and other weapons.
“We expect that our agreements on air defense in Europe and the U.S. will be fulfilled. We need Patriot systems, and we’re ready to join forces and find the funds to purchase them. These systems exist in the world, and it’s solely up to the decision of leaders whether we’ll have sufficient protection from Russian ballistic threats,” Zelensky stated.
He emphasized that not only Ukraine, but all of Europe must unite for the sake of security, increase arms production, and create more joint defense manufacturing.
“Only with determination can lasting peace be achieved. Stability and predictability in support for Ukraine are the right signals to push Russia toward diplomacy,” he said.
A significant part of the discussion was devoted to U.S.–Russia negotiations.
“For 35 days, Putin has ignored the U.S. proposal for a full ceasefire. Recent Russian strikes on Kryvyi Rih, Sumy, and other cities show that Russia is intent on continuing the war and is putting more pressure on the West than it feels itself,” Zelensky said.
He noted that it remains crucial to work within a coalition of willing and capable countries to ensure Ukraine’s security.
“The UK, France, and other NATO countries are already actively preparing the foundation for a security contingent. It's important that we act quickly and effectively,” Zelensky added.
For his part, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte condemned Russian attacks on Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure and expressed condolences to the families of those killed in Sumy and Kryvyi Rih.
“NATO stands with Ukraine. Recently, there have been questions about NATO’s support, but our support is unwavering. NATO continues to provide political and other forms of assistance to Ukraine. Through security training in Wiesbaden, we are becoming even closer. In the first three months of this year alone, NATO partners have provided over €20 billion in aid to Ukraine. We want Ukraine to remain sovereign and strong, able to resist any aggression,” Rutte said. “Today I mentioned that Trump is negotiating with Ukraine and Russia to end the war and bring peace,” Rutte added. “This is not easy, especially in the face of such violence. But we all support Mr. Trump. Our partners in the UK and France are also taking steps to secure peace in Ukraine.”
