President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in Brussels on October 15 to coordinate further defense support for Ukraine. Following the talks, he announced that work was underway on new air defense packages.
The Office of the President of Ukraine reported the results of the meeting.
The meeting with Mark Rutte was the first event on Zelenskyy’s agenda during his visit to Brussels. The two coordinated further steps to strengthen Ukraine’s protection and security.
Zelenskyy stressed that Russia had responded to another attempt by Donald Trump to reduce the intensity of strikes with new attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, residential buildings and other facilities. In recent days, Russian forces have launched several waves of ballistic missile attacks, while Shahed attack drones have been present in Ukrainian skies almost constantly.
“Since the beginning of yesterday and up to now, the Russians have already launched around 1,000 drones,” the president said.
Zelenskyy noted that these attacks pose significant challenges for Ukraine, particularly amid restrictions affecting Starlink operations. He emphasized the need for continued defense deliveries from NATO partners, highlighting the importance of interceptors capable of countering ballistic missiles and ammunition for F-16 fighter jets.
“We are working on new air defense packages. Literally every day and every hour, new packages can save the lives of Ukrainian men and women,” Zelenskyy stressed.
The Ukrainian president and NATO Secretary General also discussed other important issues, the details of which were not specified. Zelenskyy thanked Mark Rutte for his support for Ukraine and willingness to help.
