Arseniy Yatsenyuk says Gov't to approve Ukraine-NATO Annual National Program

Today the Government of Ukraine will approve a Ukraine-NATO Annual National Program and submit it to the President of Ukraine. Prime Minister of Ukraine Arseniy Yatsenyuk said this at a Cabinet’s meeting on Wednesday, February 18.

Arseniy Yatsenyuk has emphasized that the Cabinet of Ministers provides "a series of short stories" in enhanced cooperation with the Alliance.

In the framework of cooperation between Ukraine and NATO will be performed five main blocks of tasks.

First, according to the PM, it is the modernization of communications and exchange of information for the Armed Forces of Ukraine, "Ukrainian Armed Forces must meet the standards of NATO member states. Logistics and communications is the amount of work that must be carried out by our Armed Forces, Ministry of Defense under the program of cooperation with NATO."

He reminded that the special trust fund for the modernization of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, financed by NATO member state, had already been opened.

The second block, the Head of the Government informed, is re-training activities and social adaptation of military personnel.

Another area of cooperation with NATO envisages a program of physical rehabilitation, including prosthetics of the Ukrainian soldiers, "This program has already provided 700 thousand euros, under which we can send our soldiers to get medical support and carry out complex operations and prosthetics."

The next block concerns logistics and standards. The Prime Minister informed that the NATO Civil Budget has already had 200 thousand euros available for the modernization of the logistics component of the Ukraine’s Armed Forces.

The Prime Minister stressed that Ukraine and NATO should cooperate in the field of cyber defence: "War now has become not only classic, which provides engagement of heavy artillery, tanks and small arms. But war is just in cyberspace. And as part of our cooperation with NATO members we got the fifth trust fund for cyber defence of the Ukraine’s Armed Forces."

In addition, Arseniy Yatsenyuk noted that NATO member states intend to open three additional funds, which would work in Ukraine, in particular to improve the system of command and communications, as well as regarding re disposal of radioactive waste.

The Head of the Government highlighted that the security of Ukraine and the guarantee of the fulfilment of the Minsk deal lies in the area of defense": "The stronger the army is, the stronger the Armed Forces of Ukraine are, the more guarantees that the Russian terrorists and the Russian army will be forced to perform the Minsk deal. They have no desire, so our task is to stop them."

He recalled that a year ago many skeptics said that the Armed Forces of Ukraine, "which were simply destroyed by the previous regime in direct complicity with the Russian agents and Russian authorities, will unable to resist the regular troops and trained mercenaries of the Russian Federation". However, Arseniy Yatsenyuk stressed, Russian military aggression has been restrained by the Ukrainian Armed Forces and National Guard.

"Our sacred duty is to build up an army that will guarantee the security, independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine. To build a border which will prevent from transferring weapons, reconnaissance and sabotage group, illegal migrants. To build the security line, which is already functioning, and will not allow Russian terrorists seeping in other regions," Arseniy Yatsenyuk emphasized.