NATO-Ukraine Commission
defence ministers meet

Following the decision at the Bucharest Summit that Ukraine will become a NATO member in future, ministers decided to step up cooperation to address the defence-related issues pertaining to Ukraine's application to join the Membership Action Plan (MAP). MAP is the next step for Ukraine on its way to membership. Following a period of intensive engagement, a first assessment of Ukraine's MAP application will be made by foreign ministers meeting in December 2008.

The Allies welcomed Ukraine's active support for all NATO-led operations and missions, including its latest contribution to NATO's maritime counter-terrorist operation in the Mediterranean, Operation Active Endeavour. They also noted the country's readiness to work out arrangements for the transit through Ukraine of supplies for the NATO-led forces in Afghanistan.

Allied ministers expressed their appreciation for Ukraine's willingness to join an initiative to increase the availability of helicopters for multinational operations; its continued offer of strategic airlift capabilities for NATO-led operations; its accession to the Air Situation Data Exchange programme; and its efforts to prepare to contribute to the NATO Response Force (a joint, multinational force of up to 25,000 personnel, designed to respond rapidly to emerging crises across the full spectrum of Alliance missions).

Ministers took stock of Ukraine's progress in aligning the standards of Ukrainian forces with those of NATO to improve their ability to work together with Allied forces. They also reviewed the country's reform efforts in the wider security sector, underlining their strategic importance.

Allied ministers reaffirmed their continued support for Ukraine's reform efforts, notably in the framework of the Joint Working Group on Defence Reform (JWGDR). In particular, they highlighted progress achieved through JWGDR initiatives aimed at the professional development of civilian personnel and promoting civil and democratic control of the intelligence sector. They also welcomed the progress made in projects for the training and resettlement of former military personnel, as well as renewed efforts to destroy Ukraine's stockpiles of surplus munitions, small arms and light weapons, and man-portable air defence systems.

The defence and security-related aspects of NATO's intensive engagement with Ukraine will be the subject of further discussion at the senior-level meeting of the JWGDR in Kyiv in late June and high-level NATO-Ukraine consultations due to take place in Tallinn, Estonia, in November.