Ukraine: NATO boss Rutte surprisingly meets Selenskyj in Odessa

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte surprisingly visited the South Ukrainian port city of Odessa and met President Wolodymyr Selenskyj there.

Rutte condemned an “outrageous” and “terrible pattern” of the Russian army, which repeatedly attacked civilians. Not least with regard to this “terrible violence”, the negotiations on a possible ceasefire in the Ukraine war initiated by US President Donald Trump are “not easy”. “But we all support President Trump’s powers,” said the NATO boss.

Selenskyj again demanded more support for his country at the meeting on Tuesday. After the recent Russian attacks, “everyone sees Ukraine air defense systems and rockets urgently,” said the Ukrainian president. Rutte and he had spoken in detail about this topic.

Selenskyj also asked for quick progress in the efforts to make an international group for Ukraine to secure a possible ceasefire. “Great Britain, France and other NATO countries are already working actively on a basis for a security quota in Ukraine,” he said. “It is important that we are all quick and efficient enough in this process.”

Russia had started his war of attack against Ukraine more than three years ago. Most recently, a Russian rocket attack from the weekend in the Ukrainian city of Sumy also caused indignation internationally. According to Ukrainian rescue workers, 34 people were killed in the attack in the center of the city and another 117 were injured, including several children. Moscow said that 60 Ukrainian soldiers were killed in the attack.