Ukraine is the only North Atlantic Alliance partner which has a full-scale NATO diplomatic mission

A new office of the NATO mission to Ukraine was opened in a ceremony with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and Vice Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze in attendance.

Delivering a speech at the opening ceremony, the Vice Prime Minister emphasized that NATO for the first time in its history has opened unique diplomatic representation in a country with a special partner status. «None of the North Atlantic Alliance partner nations has a similar full-scale diplomatic mission», Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze asserted, adding that the new premises, the new working conditions for the NATO office will  have a positive impact on both the content and quality of the NATO-Ukraine cooperation activities and the pace of further rapprochement with the Alliance.

The Vice Prime Minister stressed that this event bears a profound symbolic meaning, because on these days Ukraine opened a new page in affairs with NATO. On June 8, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted a corresponding bill to make eventual NATO membership one of long-term strategic foreign policy goals.

«This is not just MPs decision. This is a decision that is a response to a request from Ukrainian society, which today has a consensus on the Euro-Atlantic choice of Ukraine», Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze said.

According to her, joining NATO will not enable the country to solve the security problems and the question is not about accession today. But if world countries can uphold the observance of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, it is the only nations that share common values with our country. The process of Ukraine's accession to the alliance is a powerful impetus for transformations inside Ukraine.

«I really want the consensus that the Ukrainian society has on Euro-Atlantic integration to be in line with the same consensus in government bodies as well as between different parties and political forces. This idea is of utmost importance to ensure the "unconditional green light" regime for all legislative and executive initiatives related to NATO integration. Because these decisions are aimed at strengthening the security of our country. I believe that we are capable of taking advantage of this unique historical opportunity», accentuated the Vice Prime Minister.

In turn, Jens Stoltenberg congratulated Ukraine on such an event and asserted that NATO would continue to provide practical assistance to Ukraine. «We stand side by side with Ukraine in its struggle for the sovereignty and territorial integrity», underscored the NATO Secretary General.