Kiev and NATO to complete framework for long-term military reform by May
Ukraine and NATO agreed that they will have developed the state program for the reform of the Armed Forces of Ukraine for the period until 2020 by May. This state program will be presented by the President of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko, at the Alliance’s summit in Warsaw, as reported by the acting head of Ukraine’s Mission to NATO, Yehor Bozhok.
Bozhok recalled that according to the President’s program “Ukraine 2020,” the Ukrainian Army should be reformed in accordance with NATO standards by 2020.
“We now, jointly with the Alliance, have developed a comprehensive medium-term state program for the reform of the Armed Forces of Ukraine for the period until 2020. A fully developed version of the plan, written together with NATO advisers who work in Ukraine, was presented by the Chief of the General Staff on the 21st of January at NATO Headquarters and it received positive feedback,” Bozhok noted.
According to him, the development of the so-called strategic defence bulletin that is about to end will be the next step. This document should be presented by the Minister of Defense of Ukraine, Stepan Poltorak, at the NATO Headquarters in early March.
“The state program for reforming the Armed Forces of Ukraine for the period until 2020 should be developed on the basis of the strategic defence bulletin by May 2016,” Bozhok stressed. The acting head of Ukraine’s Mission to NATO also reported that the draft program will be agreed upon in May at the meeting of the Ukraine-NATO Military Committee.
“We also hope that the high-level meeting of the Ukraine-NATO Committee will take place in Warsaw during NATO events in July 2016. In addition to its political significance, we lay serious practical sense in this summit,” he noted.
“I mean, we are getting ready for the President of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko, to present the comprehensive state program for reforming the Armed Forces of Ukraine for the period until 2020, which was developed in close cooperation with NATO. We expect that as a result of the Ukraine-NATO Committee, the Alliance will adopt a comprehensive package of assistance to Ukraine for development of its defence abilities,” Bozhok said.