Zelenskyy met with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at Ramstein

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at a meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group, also known as the Ramstein Group, on Thursday, 9 January.

Rutte said he was always happy to see Zelenskyy.

"NATO is committed to continuing our support to Ukraine as you defend yourself and fight tirelessly for the freedom we all hold dear," Rutte said on X (Twitter).

Updated at 18:06: Zelenskyy said the main focus of the meeting was on strengthening Ukraine's air defence and involving NATO countries in the purchase of Ukrainian weapons according to the Danish model.

"The partners’ common task is to ensure that Ukraine is in a strong position to bring about a just and lasting peace. Today we also discussed how the platform of the North Atlantic Alliance can be used to achieve this goal," Zelenskyy added.

Discussions at the 9 January Ramstein meeting focused on continued support for Ukraine, leading to the finalisation of roadmaps for further assistance until 2027.

On the same day, Zelenskyy met with the German defence minister to discuss the work of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group going forward.