Participants Of II Session of Ukraine-NATO interparliamentary council meeting discuss Euro-Atlantic integration of Ukraine and NATO's assistance
08 June 2015, 17:18
Foreign Affairs Minister of Ukraine Pavlo Klimkin has taken floor with the speech dedicated to "Ukraine's Priorities in Relations with NATO and the EU" at the II Session entitled "Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine and NATO Assistance" in the frames of the Ukraine-NATO interparliamentary council meeting.
Klimkin noted that the European integration is Ukraine's movement towards the security space.
He stressed that movement towards NATO, the European integration is the way towards democratic and European reforms. Klimkin said the Annual National Program for Ukraine-NATO cooperation has almost everything it needs.
The foreign affairs minister also said that in the frames of its cooperation with NATO, Ukraine must facilitate reformation of its defense and security sectors.
He said the status of Ukrainian security sector and Armed Forces had been so weak that it did not even allow to protect Ukraine. "We have achieved fantastic progress. By working day by day with our military men, employees of security institutions, I can say that we have to appreciate their year-long achievements," he said.
Klimkin noted that of course not everything has been done, however, what has already been done allows Ukraine to protect its independence.
Deputy Defense Minister for European Integration Ihor Dolhov, Acting National Guard Commander Oleksandr Kryvenko, and Deputy Head of Security Service of Ukraine Viktor Yahun informed participants of the meeting about the status of implementation of the Annual national program and measures being taken a the moment.
Head of the NATO Liaison Office in Ukraine Marcin Koziel informed the meeting participants about the NATO's assistance to Ukraine after the summit in Wales.
In particular, he noted that Ukraine and NATO are currently cooperating in taking immediate and preventive measures to enhance Ukraine's ability to protect own security. Besides, NATO and Ukraine have decided to intensify cooperation and develop the defense sector reform.
Koziel also informed about the work of targeted funds to ensure key priorities of cooperation; the intensification of other programs in particular, in the field of combating corruption in military sector, etc.
The head of the NATO Liaison Office in Ukraine appreciated Ukraine's achievements and drew attention to the fact that adoption of strategic documents will do much to raise efficiency of the Mission of advisors in Ukraine.
A meeting of the Committee for economy and security will take place in the frames of the Ukraine-NATO interparliamentary council on June 9. Participants of the meeting will be ambassadors of NATO member countries.