NATO Secretary General speaks at the Council: key statements (video)
3 February 12:44
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte arrived in Kyiv on an unannounced visit. This was announced by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on social media, according to "Komersant Ukrainian".
The NATO Secretary General’s visit to Kyiv took place on February 3, the opening day of the 15th session of the Ukrainian parliament. It should be noted that Rutte arrived in Ukraine after Russia launched a combined massive strike on Ukraine during the night.
Visit to Kyiv and meeting with Zelensky
During his visit to the capital Kyiv, Mark Rutte met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Together, they visited Independence Square, where they honored the memory of the fallen Ukrainian defenders by placing lamps at the People’s Memorial of National Remembrance.
Maidan Nezalezhnosti. The People’s Memorial of National Remembrance. A memorial honoring our heroes, warriors, our people who defended Ukraine against the enemy, fought, and made the ultimate sacrifice in this war.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) February 3, 2026
Together with @SecGenNATO Mark Rutte, we honored the memory of… pic.twitter.com/ugWsJChlAV
Mark Rutte also spoke at the opening of the 15th session of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine in Kyiv.
Rutte’s emotional message to Ukrainians
Addressing the people’s deputies and the entire nation, Rutte emphasized that he is aware of the extremely difficult trials that Ukraine has faced.
“Winter is very long, but spring will come. Ukrainians, stay strong, I know you are strong,” the NATO Secretary General said to applause from the audience.
Security guarantees after the war
Rutte said that future peace for Ukraine must be long-lasting and backed by real security guarantees, not declarative agreements such as the Budapest Memorandum or the Minsk agreements.
Speaking from the podium, he stressed that the allies are thinking not only about ending the war, but also about what the future of Ukraine will look like after it ends.
“We want to ensure that peace is lasting, so that children can look to the future without fear and build a great nation,” said the NATO Secretary General.
According to him, to achieve this, Ukraine needs not only strong armed forces, but also reliable international security guarantees that will actually work in the event of threats.
NATO support
Rutte assured that NATO continues to support Ukraine, particularly in terms of military equipment, training, and air defense, and is ready to act “for years to come.”
“Since last summer, we have provided 75% of the missiles that have arrived in Ukraine and 90% of the air defense missiles. We are learning from you. You are applying innovation in a unique and impressive way,” the NATO Secretary General emphasized.
Mark Rutte stated that security and peace in Ukraine remain a priority for NATO, assured the Alliance’s readiness to put pressure on Russia to achieve a lasting and just peace, and noted the resilience of the Ukrainian people and military.
Guarantees from the US, Europe, and Canada
Mark Rutte noted that the United States, European partners, and Canada have already declared their readiness to provide Ukraine with security assurances and guarantees.
He also mentioned the “coalition of the willing” that is working on forming a future security guarantee system.
According to the Secretary General, significant progress in this direction was achieved during last month’s meeting in Paris, as President Zelenskyy had previously stated publicly.
The role of NATO after the conclusion of peace
Rutte separately outlined NATO’s possible role after a peace agreement is reached.
According to him, security mechanisms must be put in place immediately:
- with the presence of forces in the air and at sea;
- with other forms of support from the Alliance.
“Those allies who agree will participate directly. Other NATO members will help in other ways,” he explained.
“Ukraine does not want a second Budapest”
The NATO Secretary General acknowledged that the path to ending the war will be difficult and painful, but Ukraine must be confident that all the sacrifices have not been in vain.
“Every sacrifice, every life lost, and every difficult moment must not be repeated,” Rutte emphasized.
Concluding his speech, he stressed that peace agreements must be accompanied by real commitments that the major powers will actually fulfill.
“You would not want a second Budapest Memorandum or another Minsk,” the NATO Secretary General concluded.
Read us on Telegram: important topics – without censorship
