You're reading: Poroshenko tasks new defense minister with developing Ukraine’s security and defense strategy

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has commissioned new Defense Minister Stepan Poltorak with developing a strategy of national security and defense, and changing Ukraine's military doctrine, the state program for the development of the Armed Forces, weapons and military equipment.

‘Based on the current military and political situation, the Defense Ministry has been instructed to provide basic documents of defense planning. These include the development of the national security and defense strategy; the changes to the military doctrine need to be urgently developed as the present circumstances give us a lot of reasons to do so,’ he said when presenting the new defense minister in Kyiv on Oct. 15.

Poroshenko noted the need to prepare a new version of the state program for the development of the Armed Forces, weapons and military equipment.

‘We need to put an end… to our heroes, our soldiers fighting with the weapons made during World War II or sometimes World War I,’ he stressed.

The president stressed the importance of international cooperation.

‘The matters of international cooperation with the countries of NATO, the European Union, Canada, with those who support us in the east, are also a priority,’ Poroshenko said.