NATO Chief Says Zelenskyy 'Ready To Play Ball', Russia 'Creating Chaos' Amid Overnight Attacks

Last Updated:February 03, 2026, 21:44 IST

Rutte arrived in Kyiv on an unannounced visit on Tuesday, laying flowers with Zelenskyy at a memorial for fallen Ukrainian soldiers.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Secretary General of NATO Mark Rutte deliver a press conference following their meeting in Kyiv. (AFP photo)

NATO chief Mark Rutte said on Tuesday that Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is “ready to play ball" and willing to negotiate a peace deal, but Russia’s latest attacks raise serious questions about Moscow’s intentions.

Rutte made the comments during a joint press briefing with Zelenskyy in Kyiv, following a massive overnight Russian assault on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.

“The attack is, indeed, terrible. Over 70 missiles and 450 drones. It might even be the worst attack on Ukraine ever, but at least it is somewhere in the top two or three," he said.

He added that the strikes, which targeted civilian infrastructure during freezing winter conditions, were not for military purposes. “This is just creating chaos for innocent citizens by hitting civilian infrastructure," Rutte said.

“The President of Ukraine is absolutely ready to play ball, to come to a deal with the Russians, which has to be acceptable for all parties, and particularly for Ukraine. But this attack makes you question whether the Russians are serious," he added.

Rutte also praised US President Donald Trump for his efforts to bring the war to an end, calling the attacks a “really bad signal" ahead of planned peace talks.

Rutte arrived in Kyiv on an unannounced visit on Tuesday, laying flowers with Zelenskyy at a memorial for fallen Ukrainian soldiers.

Russia’s overnight strikes, called by Ukraine as the “most powerful" of 2026, hit the country’s battered energy facilities, leaving hundreds of thousands without heating. The attacks also damaged an iconic Soviet-era WWII monument.

The assault came just a day before Ukrainian and Russian negotiators were due to meet for a second round of talks in Abu Dhabi. It follows the end of a seven-day pause in strikes on Kyiv, agreed to at the request of the United States.

According to Ukraine’s air force, Russia used 71 missiles and 450 attack drones in the assault. Five people were wounded in the capital, and thousands of residents were left without electricity amid sub-zero temperatures.

(With inputs from AFP)

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