Working Trip of the President to the Odesa Region and Meeting with NATO Secretary General

 

 

Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Mark Rutte Visit Wounded Warriors in Odesa

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte visited one of the medical facilities in Odesa where Ukrainian defenders are recovering from their wounds.

The leaders spoke with the warriors and medical staff about the treatment conditions. Ukrainian defenders are receiving all the necessary assistance after sustaining injuries while carrying out combat missions in the Donetsk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, and Kursk regions.

The Head of State thanked them for their service and defense of Ukraine, wished them a speedy recovery, and awarded them Orders “For Courage,” II and III class.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy also expressed gratitude to the combat medics and presented them with the Orders of Bohdan Khmelnytsky and the Orders of Princess Olga, III class, the Order of Danylo Halytskyi, and the Medal “For Military Service to Ukraine.” In addition to their daily work at the facility, they saved the lives of Ukrainian warriors under artillery and missile fire in the Kherson, Kharkiv, and Mykolaiv regions: providing assistance, conducting evacuations, and performing surgeries.

“You are very important people to us. Thank you for saving all the lives. Please take care of yourselves. For every minute, for every surgery, for all the time you’ve given since the beginning of the war – Ukraine is grateful to you,” the President said.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte also commended the courage of Ukrainian doctors and their contribution to saving the lives of defenders.

“You are spending your time, your days, your weeks, your years on this. And we have seen this. It is so important. And this is the difference between Ukraine and Russia. This is the difference between dictatorship and democracy,” emphasized the NATO Secretary General.

 

Strengthening Ukraine’s Air Defense and Maintaining Pressure on Russia: President of Ukraine Meets with NATO Secretary General in Odesa

In Odesa, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte to discuss the security of Ukraine and the whole of Europe.

The Head of State expressed gratitude for the unwavering support for Ukraine since the earliest days of the full-scale Russian aggression, when Mark Rutte was still serving as Prime Minister of the Netherlands. The President noted that just as many important things were achieved together back then, much can now be accomplished through joint efforts.

"Absolutely everyone sees how urgent Ukraine's need is for air defense systems and missiles for them. We discussed this at length today. Everyone sees how important it is to maintain pressure on Russia for this war and to push it toward a real willingness to move forward in diplomacy," Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

In addition, the meeting addressed various formats of cooperation between Ukraine and NATO member states. Our country is grateful for the continued functioning of the Ramstein format. According to the President, it is important to preserve its effectiveness and the broad engagement of all partners.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Mark Rutte also dedicated a significant part of their conversation to relations with the United States and U.S. efforts in negotiations with Russia.

"For 35 days now, Putin has been ignoring the U.S. proposal for a full ceasefire. The recent Russian strikes on Kryvyi Rih, Sumy, and other cities show that the Russians are not only determined to continue the war but are rather the ones putting pressure on the West than feeling the strength of pressure themselves," the Head of State noted.

He also underscored that Ukraine counts on the implementation of all air defense-related agreements with partners in Europe and the United States.

"It is also important that we all keep working together within the framework of the coalition of the willing and capable of guaranteeing security. The United Kingdom, France, and other NATO countries are already actively laying the foundation for a security contingent in Ukraine," Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

Mark Rutte condemned the Russian strikes on Ukrainian cities, including the attack on Sumy with two ballistic missiles on Palm Sunday.

"I am here today because I believe the people of Ukraine deserve real peace, real safety, and security in their country, in their homes. My heart goes out to the people of Ukraine. Those who have lost loved ones in these recent strikes and over the years. Those who have been injured, lost their homes, or had their dreams shattered by this unjust and unlawful war," said the NATO Secretary General.

He also reaffirmed that the North Atlantic Alliance will continue to stand with Ukraine. According to him, in the first three months of this year, NATO member states pledged over €20 billion in security assistance to Ukraine for 2025.

 

Air Defense of the Odesa Region and Its Socio-Economic Development: The President Holds a Coordination Meeting

In Odesa, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a meeting on the security situation in the region and its socio-economic development.

The Head of State received a report from Head of the Odesa Regional Military Administration Oleh Kiper on the status of protective measures against Russian attacks. He also provided updates on the situation with grain exports, the operation of regional enterprises, and support for internally displaced persons.

Commander of the Air Command South Major General Dmytro Karpenko delivered a detailed report on the air defense coverage of the Odesa region.

Head of the Security Service of Ukraine Office in Odesa Region Viktor Dorovskyi provided a separate briefing on the operational situation in the region.

 

Volodymyr Zelenskyy Meets with Business Representatives of the Odesa Region

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with manufacturers from the Odesa region: representatives of machine and instrument engineering, pharmaceutical, food, and wine industries.

The key topics of discussion included strengthening defense against constant Russian attacks and ensuring the continued operation of the maritime corridor. The Head of State outlined the ongoing efforts to enhance the air shield over the Odesa region. The President also assured that there would be no changes in the functioning of the maritime corridor.

“There are only discussions about a ceasefire: at sea, in the air, and on land. If we are talking about a full ceasefire, it will apply everywhere. Then, there will be free navigation. The concept of a ‘maritime corridor’ will no longer exist because there will be free navigation,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy explained.

At the same time, according to the Head of State, work is also ongoing to ensure reliable security guarantees once a ceasefire is implemented, including the deployment of a security contingent in Ukraine.

“Odesa is certainly part of this because we are talking about deploying forces at sea, in the air, and on the ground. At sea, of course, primarily in the Black Sea, this means the entire Odesa region, Mykolaiv region, and so on. So, when we talk about maritime security, we are specifically discussing this,” the President emphasized.

Additionally, the meeting covered major challenges for businesses, such as access to financing, logistics, export development, as well as the results of the Made in Ukraine policy and the Dialogue between Government and Business platform.

Special attention was paid to expanding economic support programs and engaging partners in the restoration of damaged industrial equipment.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy instructed the Government to explore the possibility of meeting with foreign partners in an Industrial Ramstein format to discuss support for the restoration of strategic enterprises affected by Russian attacks.

 

https://www.president.gov.ua/news/