Dear Secretary General, Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen!

I am glad to let you know that we had an open and a very substantial discussion at the NATO-Ukraine Commission Summit today. I have never felt such a powerful support demonstrated in respect of Ukraine by the Heads of State and Government who represent NATO member-states.

It is definitely a landmark event at the highest level during the 20-year history of partnership between Ukraine and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation.

This partnership has always been an essential factor of international and regional security and stability. The security and stability which are brutally undermined by Russia’s aggression against my country. Every Head of State and Government emphasized the necessity of unity and solidarity with Ukraine which NATO should demonstrate.

From the very beginning of his hostility, the Alliance has been standing by Ukraine supporting it politically and practically to the maximum extent possible. This stance was reaffirmed by Heads of States and Governments of NATO Member States today. This is highly valued.

We are also grateful to NATO and individual allies for the practical help and assistance provided to Ukraine in recent months – humanitarian assistance to the civilian population affected by the armed conflict; advisory support; medical treatment of injured Ukrainian servicemen.

At the meeting many Allies declared additional practical support to Ukraine to be provided on a bilateral basis, including commitments to contribute to newly established defence capacity building trust funds and what is especially important: rehabilitation of wounded servicemen, bilateral military cooperation in the provision of lethal and non-lethal equipment. We welcome and appreciate this demonstration of a true Distinctive Partnership.

A completely new security situation created by this aggression calls for our joint actions to counter the emerged security challenges including hybrid warfare threats and, thus, to shape a new Strategic Framework of NATO-Ukraine cooperation.

We held a frank exchange of views on current and future NATO-Ukraine relations in this new security environment.

We agreed that our further cooperation will be focused on achieving full interoperability between Ukraine and NATO and developing joint capabilities in military, defence and security sectors.

We will strengthen our intensive cooperation with NATO in defence and security sector through development and capacity building programmes, focusing on reforms of Ukrainian armed forces and other security structures.

The second important element of the new NATO-Ukraine cooperation Strategic Framework is Ukraine’s participation in Partnership Interoperability Initiative.

This will allow us to maintain a high level of interoperability between Ukrainian and NATO forces achieved though continuous participation of our national contingents in NATO-led missions and operations, joint military exercises, NATO Response Force.

Last but not least element of the new Framework is further deepening of NATO-Ukraine Distinctive Partnership.

We consider this Partnership to be an integral part of Ukraine’s European integration course.

Remaining committed to implementing wide-ranging EU-integration related reforms Ukraine will further pursue this goal through the Annual National Programme of NATO-Ukraine cooperation, along with other existing tools and mechanisms.

Such an approach will create necessary synergy between Ukraine’s European integration and Euro-Atlantic cooperation tracks.