During a working visit to Washington, DC, Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze took part in the panel discussion "Enhancing Security in the Neighborhood: Legacy and Future of NATO Partnership" at the Conference "NATO Engages: the Alliance at 70" dedicated to the 70th Anniversary of the founding of the North Atlantic Alliance.

A representative of the Ukrainian Government stated that Ukraine is seeking a full partnership, not just protection from the allies. She reminded that the developments of 2014 had raised serious concern that Ukraine could have ceased to exist as an independent and sovereign state. Many in the West believed that Ukraine would not be able to withstand pressure. Vladimir Putin also had the same assumption. But the Kremlin bet on the wrong horse not expecting such determination and patriotism of Ukrainians, as well as the international community's response in terms of the protection of the existing order and the rule of law.

"So far, Russia's attempts to undermine transatlantic unity have failed. One of the reasons is the growing awareness that aggression on the part of the Russian Federation is not just a question of Ukraine's security and survival. Russian aggressive behavior is a serious challenge to the security of the Euro-Atlantic area", said Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze. "Our further integration with NATO will strengthen not only our national stability but also the security of the entire region. We can become the eastern front of NATO's security architecture with the army, which is building up its strength and expertise day to day."

The Deputy Prime Minister noted that NATO's expansion to the East today is an issue of the Alliance's ability to respond to strategic challenges and dangers in Europe and Eurasia. Expanding the presence of NATO in the region is required to stop hybrid aggression in Russia.

Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze added that in order to achieve peace, deeper cooperation in countering hybrid threats was needed, including the strengthening of defense capabilities and resilience to hostile interventions.