Vice Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze took part in the signing of an Implementation Agreement between the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and  NATO on the implementation of the Trust Fund project for neutralization of explosives and countering improvised explosive devices. The ceremony took place on December 13, in the framework of the working visit of the President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko to Brussels (Belgium).

On behalf of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine the Agreement was signed by Head of the Mission of Ukraine to NATO Vadym Prystaiko.

The Implementation Agreement aims to assist in the development of common rules for destroying of explosives and countering improvised explosive devices in accordance with NATO standards.

The practical implementation of the NATO Trust Fund was launched, this will allow the Alliance to assist the development of guidance documents, the achievement of the interoperability of the forces and assets of Ukraine and NATO, as well as strengthening the capacity to protect civilians from explosive objects and improvised explosive devices.

"The necessity to counteract the consequences of Russian military aggression and numerous casualties of civilians in the East of Ukraine, including children, from the explosive devices delivered by our enemy to our land on a daily basis shows a clear need for close cooperation with NATO  in this area," Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze stressed.

The lawmaker Maksym Savrasov also took part in the signing of the Implementation Agreement.

Background

As of today, eight NATO trust funds are operating to support Ukraine:

NATO-Ukraine Cyber Defence Trust Fund;

NATO-Ukraine Logistics and Standardization Trust Fund;

NATO-Ukraine Medical Rehabilitation Trust Fund;

NATO-Ukraine Command, Control, Communications and Computers (C4) Trust Fund;

NATO-Ukraine Military Career Management Trust Fund.

NATO –Ukraine Destruction of Small Arms and Light Weapons Trust Fund

NATO-Ukraine Neutralization of explosives and countering improvised explosive devices Trust Fund