NATO believes that there are currently strong reasons to strengthen the partnership between Ukraine and the alliance, Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs and Security Policy Dirk Brengelmann has said.
"We believe that now more than ever before, there are strong reasons for the development of the partnership between NATO and Ukraine," he said in a video address to the participants in a roundtable meeting, entitled "Ukraine-NATO: Twenty Years of Partnership. Achievements and Prospects," in Kyiv on Thursday.
"All our countries are facing numerous and extremely complex security challenges, which can be tackled only through a new level of cooperation between countries and organizations."
He said that NATO respected the decision by the new Ukrainian authorities on the country’s non-aligned status.
"We have already said and repeat again that we recognize the sovereign right of each country to freely choose its approaches to the organization of security," Brengelmann said.
He said that even with this status, Ukraine could strengthen its cooperation with the alliance.
"Ukraine and NATO have an excellent basis for work," Brengelmann said.
He noted that in particular, this concerned cooperation in NATO-led operations, the sphere of reforming the Ukrainian Armed Forces, and strengthening the compatibility of Ukrainian servicemen with NATO troops.
"Military reform is a traditional area of cooperation, and it remains a priority. It is vitally important to bring the strength and structure of the Ukrainian Armed Forces into line with the terms of the future, rather than the past," he said.
Brengelmann said that the alliance would continue to support Ukraine and added that Ukraine, in turn, would play its role in working to ensure international security.
