NATO’s Rutte arrives in Kyiv on first trip after taking post

Newly appointed NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte travelled to Kyiv on Thursday (3 October), only a few days after taking over the top position in the Western military alliance.

Speaking alongside Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Rutte said he had come to make "crystal clear" his commitment to Ukraine.

Both discussed the current battlefield situation, Ukraine's 'victory plan', which Zelenskyy pitched last week in New York and Kyiv's needs ahead of winter.

Zelenskyy said he would like to see Western partners shoot down Iranian missiles and drones attacking Ukraine over its territory, just as they did during attacks on Israel.

"We see, in particular, how in the Middle East it is possible to protect people's lives thanks to the unity of allies," Zelenskyy said.

"The joint shooting down of Iranian missiles is no different from the shooting down of Russian missiles, from the shooting down of Iranian Shaheds, which combine the Russian and Iranian regimes," Zelenskyy said, adding he would expect to see a NATO change in approach on the issue.

"More determination of partners in our region is what is needed to put an end to Russian terror - we will continue to convince our partners," he said.

Rutte, in turn, largely avoided providing a concrete answer to the question.

Zelenskyy also repeated calls for Western countries to allow deep strikes into Russia with weaponry provided by them.

[Edited by Alice Taylor-Braçe]