During the NATO summit in The Hague, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky held a series of high-level meetings aimed at boosting military aid and strengthening defense cooperation amid Russia’s escalating attacks on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure.
As part of the summit, President Zelensky met with the leaders of the E5 group — Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Italy, and Poland — as well as NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. Discussions focused heavily on enhancing Ukraine’s air defense capabilities in response to the growing number of Russian missile and drone strikes, particularly those involving Iranian-made Shahed drones.
President Zelensky emphasized that Russia is intensifying its offensive operations and shows no genuine intention to halt the war.
“Therefore, pressure on Russia must be increased — especially through energy and banking sanctions, targeting the shadow fleet, and implementing secondary sanctions,” he said.
He also expressed gratitude to NATO members for their continued assistance.
“We thank you for your tremendous support of our people, our soldiers — truly heroic individuals. For air defense, for training missions with jet aircraft, and for new aid packages — thank you,” Zelensky told the E5 leaders and Secretary General Rutte.
Rutte, newly appointed as NATO chief, reaffirmed the Alliance’s long-term commitment to Ukraine.
“You can count on us now and in the future — to defend yourselves, to be stronger at the negotiation table, to deter future aggression, and on your irreversible path to NATO,” he said, referencing the joint declaration that reinforced Ukraine’s future membership.
He also noted that NATO members and partners have already provided a wide array of military equipment — including air defense systems, tanks, artillery, drones, and ammunition — and are working on over 70 projects aimed at strengthening Ukraine’s defense and security sector.
In a separate meeting, Zelensky convened with Nordic leaders — Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre — to discuss continued support for Ukraine.
Zelensky thanked the Nordic countries for their consistent solidarity and for backing efforts toward a just and lasting peace. The leaders focused on expanding military assistance, with an emphasis on air defense systems to protect civilian infrastructure and lives. They also explored avenues for developing joint defense production.
“Our priorities include domestic production of long-range drones and missiles,” Zelensky said, adding that Nordic partners are already providing financial backing to support these efforts.
The meetings in The Hague underline Ukraine’s deepening ties with NATO and European allies and reflect a shared urgency to bolster Ukraine’s resilience and accelerate its path toward long-term security integration within the Alliance.
