During the debriefing on the Flaming Sword 17 Multinational Exercise, Defense Minister of Ukraine General of the Army of Ukraine Stepan Poltorak met with Commander of U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) General Raymond A. Thomas and NATO Special Operations Headquarters Commander Vice Admiral Colin J. Kilrain.

The Minister thanked the American colleagues for support of Ukrainian SOF units.

“Our Special Operations Forces are still very young and need time and experience. We are interested in training of our men, we have the longing and learn quickly, I am sure we will make some progress,” Stepan Poltorak said.

He added that U.S. instructors have prepared many Ukrainian soldiers. The Defense Minister noted significant results in this area:

“Last year we did not lose a single centimeter of our land, reduced the number of combat deaths and have some success in military matters,” the General of the Army of Ukraine said.

The Minister of Defense informed his counterparts on the situation in the Eastern Ukraine and the threat that may arise in the future.

“The security situation in Ukraine requires that Ukrainian Special Operations Forces have gained military capabilities,” Stepan Poltorak said.

He stressed that the Ukrainian Armed Forces need not just the training, but the training of Ukrainian soldiers at foreign training centers.

“I truly believe our work to be constructive,” the Minister said.