Ukraine: Navy, NATO Discuss Military Cooperation Issues

The Ukrainian Navy Command hosted the delegation led by Ambassador Thrasyvoulos Terry Stamatopoulos, NATO’s Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs and Security Policy.

During the meeting with Acting Ukrainian Navy Vice Admiral Serhiy Eliseyev, the parties discussed ongoing cooperation with NATO, participation of the Ukrainian military naval personnel in the NATO-led operations, the Ocean Shield counter-piracy operation, and defined further directions and effective forms of military cooperation.

The talks were also attended by Mr. Marcin Koziel, Director of the NATO Liaison Office in Ukraine, representatives of the Political Affairs and Security Policy Division, NATO Military Cooperation, representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine in Crimea and Ukrainian Navy Command.

The Ukrainian party spoke about the present and the prospects of reforms and development of the national navy, participation of the Ukrainian Navy in peacekeeping operations, demonstrated basic processes of the Ukrainian Navy professionalization and general system of personnel training.

Vice Admiral Serhiy Eliseyev thanked NATO representatives for attention paid by Allied Senior Leaders to the Ukrainian Navy, especially, in training of the Ukrainian personnel for international exercises and other events within the Operational Capabilities Concept (OCC).

Ambassador Thrasyvoulos Terry Stamatopoulos thanked Ukraine and Ukrainian Navy for contribution to the Ocean Shield counter-piracy and the Active Endeavors counter-terrorism operations and greeted Ukraine with successful operation completed by the Ukrainian Frigate Hetman Sahaydachnyi in the Gulf of Aden.

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Press Release, November 07, 2013; Image: Ukraine Navy