NATO and Ukraine exchanged lessons learned on anti-terrorist operations during seminar
Over the course of a two-day seminar (14-15 December 2015), subject matter experts from NATO’s military and civilian staff and representatives of the Armed Forces of Ukraine exchanged NATO’s and Ukraine’s latest experiences on countering hybrid threats, with specific focus on counter-terrorism.
Discussion topics ranged from strategies to counter hybrid threats, Post Conflict rebuilding and management in Afghanistan to Strategic Communications. The open and frank exchange of views throughout the two days underlines the effort to continue to build on NATO and Ukraine’s close cooperation.
General Petr Pavel, Chairman of the NATO Military Committee, delivered opening remarks in which he thanked the Ukrainian military personnel, many of whom have been recently serving in Eastern Ukraine, for their readiness to share their experiences which will help “develop and refine the tools in our toolbox in order to fight terrorism in all its guises”. The Chairman also reaffirmed NATO’s commitment to a peaceful and diplomatic resolution to the conflict in Eastern Ukraine and its continued support of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Major General Anatolii Petrenko, the Ukrainian Military Representative to NATO, also speaking at the seminar, took the opportunity to highlight Ukraine’s distinct partnership with NATO in his remarks. NATO’s ongoing support to the reform and transformation of Ukraine’s security and defence sectors and the ongoing promotion of greater interoperability between Ukraine’s and NATO forces have focused on enhancing Ukraine’s ability to provide for its own security. Major General Petrenko also expressed Ukraine’s ambition/intention of transforming the “Armed Forces of Ukraine to become fully capable and interoperable in accordance with NATO standards by 2020”.
It is envisaged that the highly successful seminar will serve as a kickoff event for future conferences and workshops which will focus in more detail on specific topics of mutual interest to both NATO and Ukraine.