NATO Secretary General Reaffirms Ukraine’s Irreversible Path to Membership

On April 15, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte arrived in Ukraine for an unannounced visit. He and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited the southern city of Odesa.

During an interview with the national news marathon, Rutte reiterated NATO’s position on Ukraine’s future in the Alliance.

“Yes, absolutely. That was the outcome of the Washington summit: Ukraine’s path to NATO is irreversible. And nothing has changed,” he said.

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When asked at a joint press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to comment on US President Donald Trump’s stance regarding Ukraine’s NATO membership, Rutte reiterated the Alliance’s position.

“When we said that Ukraine would one day become a NATO member, we did not promise this would be part of a peace agreement,” he added.

The NATO chief also addressed the status of Patriot air defense systems pledged to Ukraine during the Washington summit.

“Fortunately, most of them have already been delivered or will arrive soon. Just last Friday, there were new announcements to make sure everything necessary was gathered for the Patriot systems to be delivered,” Rutte explained.

He noted that during today’s meetings in Ukraine, he and President Zelenskyy also discussed ongoing diplomatic efforts involving President Trump, who has been in contact with both Ukrainian and Russian sides in pursuit of ending the war.

“These discussions are not easy – not least after the horrific violence in Sumy on April 13 – but we all support President Trump’s efforts for peace,” Rutte said.

Earlier, it was reported that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, with discussions focused on Ukraine’s requirements for air defense systems and other military support.