UPDATE - New NATO chief reiterates alliance's support for Ukraine amid unannounced visit

REVISES HEADLINE, DECK AND LEDE; ADDS REMARKS FROM PRESS CONFERENCE IN KYIV; EDITS THROUGHOUT

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) - New NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on Thursday reiterated the alliance's support for Ukraine amid an unannounced visit to the country's capital Kyiv, marking his first visit abroad under his new role.

"Ukraine is closer to NATO than ever before. And will continue on this path until you become a member of our Alliance. I very much look forward to that day... NATO stands with Ukraine. For your security, and for ours," Rutte said at a joint press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

He said that the alliance has provided Kyiv with unprecedented support since the start of the Russia-Ukraine war in February 2022, including "more than 99% of all military aid."

"But we know that you need more. So Allies agreed at the NATO Summit in Washington this summer to make sure we could provide you with more – more equipment, more training, more support," Rutte further said.

He went on to say they know this support is urgently needed by Ukraine, and that they are working hard to do "more, and more quickly."

For his part, Zelenskyy described Rutte's visit to Kyiv as significant, further saying that Ukraine's key objective continues to be the country's full membership in NATO.

"Ukraine can become the 33rd NATO member country and Ukrainians deserve that," Zelenskyy further said, expressing that he and Rutte have discussed the elements of the country's "victory plan" during an earlier meeting.

Zelenskyy also said Ukraine needs to strengthen its positions on the battlefield to put further pressure on Russia, due to which they need more weaponry and long-range weapons in particular.

Rutte, a former Dutch prime minister, assumed his charge as the new secretary general of NATO on Tuesday, replacing Norway's Jens Stoltenberg who ran the alliance for a decade.