Stoltenberg assures Zelenski of NATO's support on first visit since the war
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Wednesday expressed the Alliance's support for Ukrainian President Volodymir Zelensky in his first visit to the transatlantic organisation's headquarters since the start of the Russian invasion war.
"We will stand with you in providing support to Ukraine, because this is really important for NATO as a whole," Stoltenberg told reporters after receiving Zelenski.
Zelenski arrived at NATO headquarters on a surprise visit to Brussels to participate in today's meeting of the US-led coalition of countries in support of Ukraine, ahead of the NATO Defence Ministers' meeting.
He will also meet with Belgian Prime Minister Alexander de Croo to discuss the F-16 aircraft the allies plan to deliver to Kiev and how to use the funds frozen from Russia.
Stoltenberg said the allies would "mobilise more support for Ukraine" at the meeting and said ministers would hold a new NATO-Ukraine Council, the platform on which the two sides address security issues as equals.
"We will further strengthen our relationship and help Ukraine move towards NATO membership," he said.
The Norwegian politician stressed to Zelenski that "your fight is our fight, your security is our security and your values are our values".
Ukraine's President Volodymir Zelenski urged world leaders to travel to Israel to support the victims of "terrorist attacks" in the country, which is engaged in a war with the Islamist group Hamas.
"My recommendation to the leaders is to go to Israel and support the people, only the people. I'm not talking about any institution. Just support the people who have been under terrorist attacks, who are dying now," he said.
After the meeting of the coalition of countries supporting Ukraine, known as the Ukraine Defence Contact Group, the NATO defence ministers' meeting proper will begin, where allies are expected to make a statement on the war between Israel and the Islamist group Hamas.
"There will be some signals from Ukraine. Of course, we are at war, so we understand what terrorist attacks mean," Zelenski commented.
"I remember the first days of our full-scale war. It started with attacks from Belarus with missiles, then the Russian army. It was the biggest tragedy we had. So many people dying. It was very important not to be alone, very important, and it can help save your nation," he added.
He noted that "sometimes" people think about "how to prevail in war, how to manage something, dialogue with Iran or Russia".
"We have to think in the opposite way. We have to give the aggressors no chance even to think about World War III, the new wave of aggression, the new tragedy," he said.
Zelensky said that the meeting of the Ukrainian Defence Contact Group will discuss "priorities, how to drive Russia out of our native land", referring to Ukrainian territory.
Ukraine's main defence priorities are now to strengthen the country's air defence, obtain long-range missiles and strengthen artillery potential, the Ukrainian leader said.
"What we are seeing now is that (Russian) President (Vladimir) Putin is once again preparing to use winter as a weapon of war. In other words, attacking the energy system, the gas infrastructure, we have to prevent that, and with more advanced and increased air defence capabilities, we can make a big difference," Stoltenberg summed up.