Sevastopol, August 3 (Interfax-Ukraine) - Ambassador of the European Commission to Ukraine Jose Manuel Pinto Teixeira has said he intends to make every effort to ensure that as Ukraine draws closer to the European Union, its naval forces play an important role, the press center of the Ukrainian Navy Command reported.
"Ukraine is certainly a maritime state, and I am pleased to note that today’s naval mariners carry on the Cossacks’ traditions and continue to ply the Black Sea. For my part, I will make every effort to ensure that in the process of the European integration of Ukraine, its naval forces should come to the fore," the ambassador said during a meeting with the Ukrainian Navy Commander Admiral Viktor Maksymov during the ambassador’s informal visit to Sevastopol.
Maksymov, in turn said that Ukraine was moving towards the EU and was making great efforts to do this.
The Ukrainian Navy is also contributing to achieving this goal, he added.
The commander added that Ukraine was preparing four pilots and an aircraft of the Saki naval aviation brigade to take part in the EU anti-piracy mission – Operation Atalanta.
