Ukraine's MoD highlights significance of NATO-Ukraine joint training center
Rustem Umerov, Minister of Defense of Ukraine (Photo: Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
The establishment of a joint training center between Ukraine and NATO will help develop new technological approaches and prepare for future threats, according to the Minister of Defense of Ukraine, Rustem Umerov.
"Ukrainian and NATO personnel will enhance the training system shoulder to shoulder," Umerov wrote.
According to him, the establishment of such a center is one of the main achievements of the second meeting of the Ukraine-NATO Council at the level of defense ministers.
"For us the JATEC is about developing new technology-driven approaches to prepare for future threats. I would like to express my deep gratitude to everyone who was involved in the preparations, especially to the NATO’s International Staff, Poland and Germany," the minister said.
Umerov noted that Ukraine and NATO countries should focus on building long-term defense capabilities and a sustainable defense industry.
"The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine seeks to create mechanisms that will bring defense industry partners of NATO member countries and Ukraine closer together. We are ready to establish joint ventures, joint investments, localize production, and scale up production in the defense sector," he said.
He emphasized that the NATO summit in Washington should serve as a platform for new decisive steps that will bring Ukraine closer to NATO membership.
At the same time, allies emphasized the need to ensure stable and timely provision of all necessary assistance to Ukraine and the importance of strengthening the defense capabilities of NATO member states' defense industries. Several states also announced their readiness to conclude bilateral security agreements with Ukraine in the near future.
Earlier, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg announced that NATO had decided to open a joint training center in Bydgoszcz, Poland, where Ukrainian military personnel would train together with NATO servicemen.
NATO training
In the first half of 2024, NATO is conducting a series of exercises under the overall code name Steadfast Defender-24. Poland will be one of the host countries and will host a significant number of soldiers and equipment from alliance members.
As part of Steadfast Defender-24, Polish national exercises will be held with the participation of armed forces from other countries under the name Dragon-24.
As emphasized by the Polish General Staff, such exercises are defensive and not directed against any country.
