Foreign Ministers focus on broader NATO-Ukraine cooperation
In a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Commission (NUC), NATO Ministers of Foreign Affairs welcomed today the presence of Minister Konstyantyn Gryshchenko in Berlin as a clear sign of Ukraine’s policy of engagement with the Alliance.
Ministers discussed priorities for further cooperation with Ukraine and how to better advance common objectives. They agreed to continue broadening the spectrum of NATO-Ukraine cooperation to include also emerging security challenges, such as the fight against terrorism, the proliferation of mass destruction and their means of delivery, cyber defence, and energy security.
The Alliance Foreign Ministers thanked Ukraine for the contributions to NATO-led operations.
In his remarks at the beginning of the meeting, Anders Fogh Rasmussen highlighted that "five months ago, NATO adopted a new Strategic Concept. And our new strategy puts partnerships at the core of NATO's mission and reconfirms the value of NATO's Distinctive Partnership with Ukraine".
"During my visit to Kyiv in February, President Yanukovych reaffirmed his personal commitment to furthering active political dialogue and practical cooperation between NATO and Ukraine. His recent approval of Ukraine's National Annual Programme for 2011 is a tangible expression of this commitment", the Secretary General emphasized.
At today's meeting, the Foreign Ministers of NATO countries and Ukraine discussed a substantive agenda, which, according to Fogh Rasmussen, "reflects not only the strength and significance of the NATO-Ukraine Distinctive Partnership, but also its considerable further potential".