You're reading: Lytvyn: Ukraine gets $354 million from UN in 10 years for participation in peacekeeping operations

Head of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on National Security and Defense Volodymyr Lytvyn has said that the participation of Ukrainian servicemen in peacekeeping operations in foreign countries does not influence the strengthening of Ukraine's political and economic presence in these countries.

“The military presence is not related to the strengthening of political and economic presence in the countries where our military missions are performed. This is a key problem that requires the coordination of efforts at the government level. Respective work is practically not being done – this function should be performed by the National Security and Defense Council,” he said during the discussion of a report by the Cabinet of Ministers on Ukraine’s participation in the maintenance of international peace and security in 2012, which was delivered by Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Ruslan Demchenko on Tuesday.

Lytvyn said that the participation of Ukrainian military personnel in UN-led peacekeeping operations is of great benefit to Ukraine, which received $354 million for its state budget over ten years. However, Lytvyn said, all of these funds are transferred to the budget’s general fund, whereas the special fund of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry does not get anything.

He also said that 21 Ukrainian servicemen had been killed in peacekeeping operations, including 14 killed in combat missions.

“This is also a big problem,” Lytvyn said.

Demchenko said in the report that servicemen of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and employees of the Ukrainian Interior Ministry were currently participating in 13 international peacekeeping operations, including in seven UN-led operations.

“In general, our state ranks third in Europe after Italy and France in terms of the number of peacekeepers participating in UN operations,” Demchenko said.

He said that the participation of Ukrainian peacekeepers in UN operations brings significant revenue to the budget. Demchenko said that the UN Secretariat compensated about $18 million to Ukraine in 2010, about $20 million in 2011, and about $27 million in 2012.