Turchynov: Ukraine ready to expand and deepen cooperation with NATO

Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Oleksandr Turchynov said this during a speech at the meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Commission, the press service of the NSDC reported.

"Eastern borders of Ukraine are the advanced frontiers of European security, therefore strengthening of our security capabilities and the development of the Armed Forces are ongoing at different levels, based on the best achievements, first of all of NATO, as well as based on the combat experience of recent years," Turchynov said.

The NSDC secretary states that our state is ready for further expansion and deepening of cooperation with NATO and the Alliance countries on a bilateral basis. These includes, in particular: the granting by NATO states of export licenses for the supply of military goods to Ukraine, including those of lethal action; the participation of foreign partners in modernizing the existing types or joint creation of new types of weapons and equipment for arming the Armed Forces of Ukraine with the use of technologies and components of Western producers; achievement by Ukrainian enterprises of the Alliance standards of manufacturing defense products to participate in projects on satisfying the needs of the armed forces of NATO member states; providing consulting and advisory services on the use of offset mechanisms; protection of intellectual property; the establishment of a center for the certification of weapons and military equipment manufactured by Ukrainian enterprises in accordance with the NATO standards; investing in the development of the Ukrainian defense-industrial complex, etc.

"Ukraine has been and remains NATO's reliable partner. The development of special partnership relations will strengthen our common security, and the future membership of Ukraine in the Alliance will be a guarantee of peace and stability in Eastern Europe and the Euro-Atlantic space as a whole," Turchynov summed up.