General Mark Rutte has visited Ukraine in his first official trip since taking office and pledging continued support for Kyiv.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte made a surprise visit to Ukraine on Thursday, where he offered assurances on Kyiv's bid to join the military alliance and support for its efforts to fend off Russia's invasion.

Rutte vowed when he took office on Tuesday to help shore up Western support for Ukraine, which has been fighting Russia’s full-scale invasion since February 2022.

Ukraine could be facing its toughest winter since Russia's full-scale invasion began in February 2022, as Moscow continues to attack the country's critical energy infrastructure, new NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said on Tuesday.

NATO's new Secretary General Mark Rutte warned on Oct. 8 that Ukraine may be facing its most challenging winter since the start of the full-scale invasion, as the country prepares for more Russian attacks against energy infrastructure.