NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a briefing in Brussels on December 18, announced plans to strengthen Ukraine’s air defense capabilities with the delivery of 19 air defense systems.
“We know your request, and I can confirm that 19 systems are being delivered to Ukraine to protect its critical infrastructure,” Rutte stated.
He also noted that discussions with Zelenskyy focused on preparing Ukraine for eventual peace talks.
"High on the agenda is to make sure that the president, his team, and Ukraine are in the best possible position one day when they decide to start peace talks," Rutte added.
The NATO Secretary General also highlighted additional efforts to support Ukraine’s economy, emphasizing the Danish-Lithuanian initiative to purchase weapons from Ukrainian manufacturers.
"I’m extremely happy with the Danish-Lithuanian initiative to not only buy weapons but to buy them from Ukraine, from your huge defense industrial base. This is good news because it means more weapons for Ukraine but also money for the Ukrainian economy. It’s a very practical way to support you," Rutte said.
Previously, it was reported that President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Brussels on December 18 for a series of high-level discussions with European leaders.
Earlier, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha stated that Ukraine needs 20 additional air defense systems to defend the nation’s power infrastructure from Russian assaults.
-21d0b63c17f6020e4df75f6c6f9a2f4f.jpg "Ivan Khomenko")
