President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a phone call with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.

The Head of State emphasized that Russian strikes during such a cold winter create serious challenges. Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that today there was a Russian strike on an energy facility in Kharkiv, which left hundreds of thousands of people without electricity and heating. The President informed Mark Rutte about these attacks and about Ukraine’s needs for protection and bolstering its air defense. The Head of State separately highlighted the importance of the PURL initiative, and Ukraine expects that contributions to it will increase this month.

The President and the NATO Secretary General discussed in detail diplomatic efforts and engagement with partners in the United States and Europe.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Mark Rutte exchanged views on what the next steps should be.

“We have already achieved significant progress, and it is important not to slow down now. Ukraine has never been and will never be an obstacle to achieving peace,” the Head of State stressed.

The President thanked Mark Rutte for supporting Ukraine.