Defense minister: Ukraine, Serbia set to develop defense cooperation actively

KYIV, March 20 /UKRINFORM/. The defense ministers of Ukraine and Serbia, Dmytro Salamatin and Dragan Sutanovac, held negotiations in Belgrade aimed at stepping up cooperation in defense sector, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.

"Cooperation in defense sector between Ukraine and Serbia will continue to develop dynamically, for the benefit of both countries,” Salamatin said.

The sides, in particular, exchanged experience in holding military reform.

During the talks, a particular emphasis was put on the fact that Ukraine and Serbia are on the path of integration in the EU. Consequently, both countries are interested in sharing experience to advance into EU structures, in particular, as referred to security.

The defense ministers also discussed the possibility of personnel training in higher military educational establishments of Ukraine and Serbia, conducting joint exercises. The Serbian side expressed great interest in studying almost a 20-year experience of participation of Ukrainian Armed Forces units in international peacekeeping operations.

As referred to military-technical cooperation, Sutanovac noted that Ukraine has a strong scientific, technological and production potential of the military and industrial sector and "Serbia is very interested in the Ukrainian experience in the modernization of armaments and military equipment".