President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on the sidelines of the European Political Community summit.

“The Head of State provided NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte with an update on the battlefield situation, specifically addressing the involvement of North Korean troops in Russia's aggression against Ukraine. The President emphasized the need for a stronger response from Western nations to North Korea’s new role in the Russia-Ukraine war,” Zelenskyy said on the Telegram channel Thursday evening.

The parties also discussed the implementation of the decisions of the NATO summit in Washington, in particular, on strengthening air defense, investments in the Ukrainian production of projectiles, drones and long-range weapons.

"Ukraine needs permission to use long-range weapons at military facilities on the territory of Russia," Zelenskyy stressed.