On 10 February 2021, at the NATO HQ in Brussels, First Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Emine Dzhaparova met with NATO Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs and Security Policy James Appathurai.

Among the key issues discussed were the support of Ukraine’s reforms on its way towards Euro-Atlantic integration, engagement with Ukraine in its new status as Enhanced Opportunities Partner, countering the COVID-19 pandemic, the situation in the temporarily occupied Crimea and the preparation for the Crimean Platform Summit in August of this year.

«Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, we managed to take additional measures to support the reform process. We see a positive dynamic in this regard. Transition to NATO standards, norms and principles is also among our priorities. We have made significant progress in various areas of Euro-Atlantic reforms, including the adoption of important legislation and guidelines in the field of security and defense, in particular the laws of Ukraine «On Defense Procurement» and «On Intelligence», as well as the National Security Strategy of Ukraine. On January 28, 2021, the Verkhovna Rada adopted the first reading of the draft Law on Amendments to the Law of Ukraine «On the Security Service of Ukraine» aimed at improving the organizational and legal framework of the Security Service», Emine Dzhaparova noted.

The First Deputy Minister emphasized that the recognition of Ukraine as Enhanced Opportunities Partner was an important stage in the implementation of Ukraine's Euro-Atlantic integration aspirations. She thanked the Allies for the decision.

Emine Dzhaparova also pointed out that Ukraine’s involvement in the Allies’ discussion of the areas of formulation of the NATO Strategic Concept 2030 will facilitate the Alliance’s cooperation with its Eastern partners, in particular, the cooperation with the Ukrainian State within the framework of NATO Open Door Policy.

«Ukraine stands for equal access to the COVID-19 vaccines. I am also grateful for NATO's decision to purchase medical equipment for Ukraine through the NATO Pandemic Response Trust Fund», Emine Dzhaparova stressed.

The First Deputy Minister also brought the attention of her colleague to the deterioration of the situation in the temporarily occupied Crimea and informed him of the latest actions of the Russian occupation authorities in violation of human rights, the militarization of the peninsula, privatization of Ukrainian state-owned assets in violation of international humanitarian law. Emine Dzhaparova informed her colleague of the work on the launch of the Crimean Platform and expressed hope that NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg participates in the Inaugural Summit of the Crimean Platform in August of 2021.

MFA of Ukraine