Ukraine expects the NATO Military Committee to visit the country in October, marking its first such visit in eight years, Ukrainian Armed Forces (AFU) Commander-in-Chief Mykhailo Drapatyi said on Friday, Aug. 21.
Drapatyi made the announcement after his first meeting with NATO Military Committee Chair Adm. Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, whom he thanked for his support for Ukraine at the Alliance’s highest military level.
“We are expecting the NATO Military Committee to visit Ukraine in October. The last such visit took place eight years ago,” Drapatyi said in a Facebook post.
Drapatyi said Dragone had visited Ukraine three times and had seen the situation on the ground firsthand.
The Ukrainian commander briefed Dragone on the situation at the front and discussed Ukraine’s military priorities, including long-range strikes, flexible infantry tactics and the use of robotics on the battlefield.
Air defense remains Ukraine’s priority
Drapatyi said air defense was also a key focus of the discussion, describing the protection of Ukrainian airspace as his priority.
“Protecting the sky is my priority,” he said.
He also emphasized that Ukraine is not only receiving military support from NATO allies but is sharing battlefield experience gained during Russia’s full-scale war.
“We are not only receiving support. We are passing on combat experience that no one else has today, and it works for the security of the entire Alliance,” Drapatyi said.
The NATO Military Committee is the Alliance’s senior military authority and advises NATO’s political leadership on military matters.
Drapatyi said Ukraine and its allies were working toward a common goal and thanked NATO members for their support.