Olha Stefanishyna met with the British Secretary of State for Defence

The Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine, Olha Stefanishyna, met with the Secretary of State for Defence, Grant Shapps.

The Deputy Prime Minister thanked the UK for its substantial assistance to Ukraine in countering russia's brutal full-scale war, as well as for its support of the reform process that strengthens the country's defence capabilities and its interoperability with NATO. The meeting was also attended by the Chief of the British Defence Staff, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin.

Olha Stefanishyna stressed that the Vilnius Summit had laid the foundation for a structured dialogue with NATO allies, which was important for the partners' deeper understanding of Ukraine's internal processes and would, in particular, facilitate step-by-step integration into the Alliance and long-term defence and security planning.

The Deputy Prime Minister noted that Ukraine had already presented its vision for the Annual National Programme (ANP).

"It is crucial to have a clear structure of our roadmap for cooperation. The Annual Programme should be as comprehensive as possible with a full understanding of our progress. It is important to identify the existing gaps that Ukraine can fix today, at the stage of the ongoing full-scale war. At the same time, everything we can do now must be in line with the strategic vision of NATO membership, so that when we have the opportunity to join the Alliance, Ukraine will be fully prepared for it," stressed Olha Stefanishyna.

The British officials assured of continued support for Ukraine in the safeguarding of its sovereignty and territorial integrity. The two sides also agreed on the importance of expanding further cooperation, particularly in supporting Ukraine's Euro-Atlantic integration.