On 25 February, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration and Minister of Justice of Ukraine Olha Stefanishyna met with NATO Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs and Security Policy Boris Ruge.

During the meeting, the parties discussed key areas of cooperation between Ukraine and the North Atlantic Alliance, urgent security challenges, and the achievement of a just and sustainable peace.

Olha Stefanishyna thanked the Alliance for their support of Ukraine and stressed the importance of further consolidation of efforts to strengthen the country’s defence capability and resilience.

“Ukraine is committed to its European and Euro-Atlantic path. The implementation of the decisions of the NATO Washington Summit has already become an important milestone that significantly affects the strategic development of relations between Ukraine and the Alliance. We look forward to further strengthening this cooperation, especially in the defence and security sector,” the Deputy Prime Minister said.

The parties discussed the Comprehensive Assistance Package for Ukraine (CAP), which includes urgent medium- and long-term projects and provides non-lethal assistance to Ukraine.

“We see the Comprehensive Assistance Package as an important tool for developing Ukraine’s defence capabilities, achieving interoperability with NATO forces and advancing reforms in the security and defence sector,” said Olha Stefanishyna.

The meeting welcomed the launch of the NATO-Ukraine Joint Analysis, Training and Education Centre (JATEC), which recently began operations in Bydgoszcz, Poland. Olha Stefanishyna expressed her gratitude to her colleagues for the efforts that made the opening of JATEC possible and underlined Ukraine’s desire to actively participate in NATO programmes and projects related to resilience, innovation and new warfare technologies.

“Last week, we officially opened the NATO-Ukraine Joint Analysis, Training and Education Centre in Poland, which will become a platform for exchanging experience in countering hybrid threats and warfare. This is the first joint structure of our country and the Alliance, which will play a key role in increasing the interoperability of our Armed Forces,” Olha Stefanishyna said.

The two sides also welcomed the launch of the NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine (NSATU), which will lead the coordination of assistance to Ukraine, in the German city of Wiesbaden.

A representative of the NATO Secretary General’s team reiterated NATO’s support for Ukraine and commitment to further strengthen cooperation.

Background

The decision to establish the JATEC (NATO-Ukraine Joint Analysis, Training and Education Centre) was made in February 2024 by NATO Defence Ministers following a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council.

On 11 July 2024, at the Washington Summit, NATO Allies formally endorsed JATEC as a joint NATO-Ukraine civil-military centre.

On 16 December 2024, the North Atlantic Council officially activated JATEC as an International Military Staff of the NATO Command Structure, reporting to the Supreme Allied Commander Transformation.

The Centre is the first joint institution in the history of relations between Ukraine and the Alliance. Its goal is to develop the capabilities of the Ukrainian Defence Forces and achieve interoperability between Ukraine and NATO.