Ukrainian Minister of Defense meets with US Defense Secretary
The Pentagon press office has reported that US Secretary of Defense James Mattis and Ukrainian Defense Minister Stepan Poltorak held talks on Friday, February 2.
"Today we intend to discuss pragmatic steps to strengthen relations between our armed forces," Mattis told reporters before the meeting.
Ukrinform reports that Poltorak said the military authorities of the United States and Ukraine have started working together at a strategic level.
"We have opened consultations on defense issues at a strategic level," the Defense Minister said, and pointed out that this process had been taking place formally for some time.
"At present, these consultations have been focused on taking into account threats based on the real state of the challenges facing Ukraine; we have thought through, planned and prepared a number of serious measures to improve our relations," he stressed.
Poltorak is currently visiting the United States on an official visit.
According to the Defense Ministry of Ukraine, the Minister will take part in bilateral defense consultations between the departments of the two countries during his visit. The meetings will be held with representatives of the leadership of the US Department of Defense, as well as with operational and strategic level officers and leadership at the US National War College.
The Ukrainian delegation’s work schedule includes working meetings with Ukrainian volunteers who live in the United States and who aid the Ukrainian army.