Remarks

Ladies and Gentlemen, dear members of the media, dear members of the various Armies belonging to this great Alliance.
I really am honoured to be here today with you at the opening of the Joint Analysis, Training and Education Centre, which is a real step forward for NATO and Ukraine.

The work at JATEC will bring Ukraine closer to our Alliance. It will help the Alliance and Ukraine become stronger. And this will make all of us safer.

It was in the heat of the Washington Summit that NATO leaders met and endorsed the creation of JATEC. It is in the cool of this Polish winter that we can see what we have achieved so far together

Admiral Vandier, dear Pierre, Allied Command Transformation has lived up to its name.   It has transformed an idea into action in just a few months. So, congratulations for this.

Deputy Prime Minister Kosiniak-Kamysz, dear Władysław, we are grateful that Poland has decided to host JATEC. Poland is a true friend of Ukraine and a very valuable NATO Ally. 

Deputy Prime Minister Stefanishyna, dear Olha, your leadership and the commitment of our Ukrainian colleagues have been essential.
Your support is crucial for our joint success at JATEC.

This is really a one-of-a-kind entity. A unique civil-military organisation, the first to be jointly run by NATO and a partner nation.
Here, we will learn from Ukraine and we will learn from their first-hand experience of fighting Russian aggression.

JATEC will strengthen Ukraine defence and security sector, enhance its deterrence and defence for the long term, but it will also help Ukraine become fully interoperable with NATO.

JATEC is just one part of NATO’s enduring commitment to Ukraine.

Allies continue to make major deliveries of weapons, equipment, and ammunition.
And until now, NATO Allies have already provide 99 percent of all military assistance to Ukraine.
Our new command in Wiesbaden, Germany, is now leading the coordination of these contributions.  

Allies have pledged to support Ukraine with more than 40 billion euros for 2024. And they have exceeded their pledge. They have provided over 50 billion euros, well over half of it coming from European Allies and Canada.

With NATO’s Comprehensive Assistance Package, we are also supporting Ukraine become more resilient, so it can better provide for its own security, and carry out important reforms.
In a nutshell, we are supporting and helping Ukraine to defend itself today. And keeping Ukraine strong means it can negotiate from a position of strength. The stronger it is, the higher are the chances of a just and enduring peace.

We are also committed to helping Ukraine become more capable for the long term, so that it can deter any Russian aggression in the future.

But JATEC is also an asset for NATO, and I want to be very clear about this today. It also strengthens NATO's own deterrence and defence. We will listen, learn and act on the experience of our Ukrainian friends who have fought back so heroically against the Russian aggression.
This shows that Ukraine is a close partner to NATO, and that we stand up by what we have decided.
So, thank you again to all of you who have made this possible. This is a very important day for NATO-Ukraine cooperation and congratulations for a job well done. Thank you.