KYIV — NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg visited Kyiv on Thursday for the first time since the start of the Russian invasion more than a year ago, an official from the Western military alliance said.

NATO confirmed earlier reports of a surprise visit by a local media outlet that published photos of Stoltenberg in the center of the Ukrainian capital.

The Kyiv Independent noted the NATO chief was seen in Kyiv’s St Michael’s Square, in front of a memorial dedicated to Ukrainian servicemen killed since Russian tanks rolled across the border last year.

Several high-profile officials have visited Kyiv to iterate their support for Ukraine, despite the fighting, including then UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, a staunch ally.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres made a trip to the Ukrainian capital three times since February 2022, the latest last month.

NATO has shown its support for Ukraine, with its member states providing Kyiv with military equipment and weapons to fight the Russian army.

This support has underpinned Ukraine’s war effort, allowing it to withstand Moscow. Russia claims this assistance is proof the US-led military alliance is waging a proxy war against it. — Euronews