UKRINFORM

Ukraine, NATO determine priority trends of cooperation in defense sphere

KYIV, February 25 /UKRINFORM/. Ukraine and North Atlantic Alliance determined priorities of cooperation in the defense sphere for a midterm perspective.

Defense Minister Pavlo Lebedev has said about this by results of the Ukraine-NATO Commission, held in Brussels on Friday, UKRINFORM's own correspondent reports.

“We have discussed the defense reform processes in the Armed Forces of Ukraine and determined main priority trends of Ukraine's cooperation with NATO in the defense sphere for a midterm perspective,” the Defense Minister said.

In particular, among priorities is support of a military-political dialogue; promotion of reformation and development of the Armed Forces of Ukraine; making a contribution to ensuring international security; as well as military-technical cooperation.

The Minister stressed that the scales of Ukraine's cooperation with NATO grow. “We would like to strengthen and expand the level of our cooperation with NATO and express thanks to the Alliance for support in the reforms' realization,” Lebedev noted.

He stressed that the aim of reforms in the defense sector is creation of mobile, highly professional Armed Forces, able to actively participate in international events on keeping peace and security.

Ukraine joins NATO's Ocean Shield anti-piracy operation

KYIV, February 22 /UKRINFORM/. Ukraine has officially joined NATO's Ocean Shield anti-piracy operation.

NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said this, while opening a session of the NATO-Ukraine Commission in Brussels on Friday, a UKRINFORM correspondent reported.

"I just exchanged letters with [Defense] Minister [Pavlo] Lebedev confirming Ukraine's participation in NATO's Ocean Shield anti-piracy operation," the NATO secretary general said.

Ukraine's Mission to NATO said that this agreement formalizes Ukraine's status as the first partner country participating in the Ocean Shield anti-piracy operation and the alliance's only partner country participating in all of its operations.

It is planned that this November Ukraine will provide for Operation Ocean Shield the flagship of the Ukrainian Navy, the Hetman Sahaidachny frigate, with a helicopter and a group of special forces on board.

INTERFAX-UKRAINE

Rasmussen: NATO gets confirmation from Ukraine on its participation in Ocean Shield operation

NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen has received a letter from Ukraine confirming its participation in the alliance's Ocean Shield anti-piracy operation.

"Ukraine and NATO are key partners in the field of security. Ukraine has for many years made a significant contribution to alliance-led operations, including our participation in Afghanistan, and I have just received a letter from Mr. [Ukrainian Defense Minister Dmytro] Lebedev, confirming Ukraine's participation in NATO's Ocean Shield operation," he said in Brussels on Friday, while opening a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Commission, which is taking place as part of a meeting of defense ministers of NATO member countries.

Rasmussen noted that Ukraine and NATO had made good progress "in our partnership in many areas."

"Reform in the defense sector has been and will be a top priority. At our meeting today we will discuss how best we will continue our partnership to support the implementation of these reforms. We are also committed to supporting Ukraine in these reforms, in particular, the implementation of reforms to strengthen democracy and the rule of law," Rasmussen said.

NATO expects Kyiv to deal with selective application of justice, says Rasmussen

NATO expects Ukraine to address the issues of selective application of justice and politically-motivated prosecutions, which worry its member countries.

NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said this at a press conference following a meeting of NATO Defense Ministers in Brussels on Friday, which involved a session of the Ukraine-NATO Commission with the participation of Ukraine's Defense Ministry Pavlo Lebedev.

"Our partnership is based on values – including the principles of democracy, the rule of law and human rights. The NATO Allies have already made clear their concerns about the selective application of justice and what appear to be politically-motivated prosecutions in Ukraine. These issues are of real concern for NATO. They are of real importance in our partnership with Ukraine. We look to Ukraine to address these issues. Because we want a strong relationship with a strong Ukraine. And we are committed to building it," Rasmussen said.

The NATO secretary general also praised Kyiv's participation in the alliance's counter-piracy Operation Ocean Shield off the Horn of Africa. Ukraine has become the first NATO's partner-country to take part in the operation.

When asked about the prospect of Ukraine's getting membership in the alliance, the secretary general referred to the decision of the NATO summit in Bucharest that Ukraine and Georgia will become members of the alliance when they are ready. According to him, this decision is still valid and Ukraine should decide for itself how to develop its relations with NATO. Rasmussen said that the alliance fully respected its non-aligned policy.

At the same time, he expressed the hope for further fruitful cooperation with Ukraine, which is supported by the Ukrainian leadership.

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