Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and NATO boss Mark Rutte presented a unified front during a press conference that followed Kyiv’s pitch for victory to EU leaders and NATO defense ministers.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on Thursday left no doubt about his position on Ukraine joining the military alliance, telling Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, “I look forward to welcoming you [to NATO headquarters in Brussels] again when you are a member.”
In a press conference focused on the current state of the war in Ukraine and how Western partners can help the beleaguered country, Rutte hammered at his podium while forcefully proclaiming that Kyiv’s partners in NATO would remain unified in their support.
Rutte then name-checked Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying that his efforts to divide Western states would fail, adding, “we cannot have an emboldened Russia on our border.”
For his part, Zelenskyy said Ukraine “deserves to become a NATO member,” adding “we truly value democracy.”
