NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte arrived early this morning, Feb. 3, in Kiev, in what Ukrainian media described as a “surprise” visit, spending his day in high-profile events stressing that NATO will be ever-present to defend Ukraine. Rutte was last in Kiev nearly 10 months ago in April 2025.
First, Rutte and Acting President Volodymyr Zelenskyy laid wreaths in Independence Square in honor of Ukrainian lives lost in fighting. He then addressed Ukraine’s unicameral parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, and also met with Zelenskyy and officials. On Feb. 3 Ukraine media highlighted that this visit—on the eve of the Feb. 4 Abu Dhabi meeting among representatives of Russia, Ukraine and the United States—is the beginning of visits by Western leaders whom Zelenskyy has invited.
At the Rada, Rutte discussed what he claimed would be the post-peace defense worked out between the U.S., Ukraine, and Europe. For some reason the Rada was only half-full, with a large number of members simply boycotting the speech. While Rutte told his listeners that they must be prepared to make sacrifices, he indicated that as soon as peace is negotiated, there will be military forces from the Coalition of the Willing arriving in Ukraine. He also said that if Russia should violate the peace agreements, the same Coalition of the Willing would be prepared to move against Russia.
