Minister of Defense of Ukraine Andriy Zagorodnyuk has invited Jens Stoltenberg, Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, to transfer Ukraine's cooperation with the Alliance into a more practical plane.
Today, as part of a working visit to NATO Headquarters in Brussels, the head of the Ukrainian defense ministry took part in a meeting of defense ministers representing states which contribute to Resolute Support, NATO's training and advisory mission to Afghanistan.
In particular, during a "brief but informative" conversation with Stoltenberg, the minister spoke about the progress of reform of the Ministry of Defense and the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Read alsoNATO in process of stepping up support to Ukraine – Stoltenberg
Zagorodnyuk noted that joining NATO remains a key priority for the Ukrainian military.
The two also spoke about the developments in the east of Ukraine and in the Azov-Black Sea region.
In a Facebook post, Zagorodnyuk wrote he had told the NATO secretary general about Ukraine's priorities and desire to make the format of cooperation more practical, in particular in support of the Ukrainian Navy and assistance in the modernization of the Armed Forces. He noted that "next week we will be able to continue communication during the official Ukraine visit of representatives of the North Atlantic Council".
"We are grateful to our foreign partners for their integrity and consistency. I am convinced that our cooperation will be expanded not only in the political dimension, but also in a practical plane. We will make every necessary effort to this end," said Zagorodnyik.
The top defense official also emphasized that meeting military criteria for gaining membership in the Alliance and increasing in the number of Ukraine Army units capable of performing joint operations with the Allied armies remains an unchanged priority for the Ministry of Defense.
In addition, the minister held important bilateral meetings with his counterparts from France, Italy, Georgia, and Sweden.
Read alsoStoltenberg comments on goals of North Atlantic Council's upcoming visit to Ukraine
The Ministry of Defense noted that Zagorodnyuk's first foreign working trip at the post was to NATO headquarters in Brussels, which was a telling move.
As UNIAN reported, on October 23, Stoltenberg said that the Alliance was in the process of stepping up support to Ukraine.
