Washington Summit created department for Ukraine in NATO
Olha Stefanishyna (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
At the Washington NATO Summit, special structures were established to support Ukraine. One of these effectively functions as a Ukraine department within NATO, according to Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, Olha Stefanishyna, in an interview with RBC-Ukraine.
Thus, within the framework of the European Military Command, a NATO mission was created to coordinate military assistance, support, and training of Ukrainian forces. Informally, it is known as the NATO Ukraine Command. Stefanishyna explained that this is a military unit within NATO that will ensure the coordination of allies and strengthen the Ramstein format.
"Any political decision we are moving towards or advocating for will now be worked through within the existing structure," she added.
Stefanishyna said that this is a significant achievement for Ukraine, as it essentially establishes a Ukraine department within NATO.
She mentioned that the head of the mission, who will be the senior civilian representative of this mission, is expected to arrive in September. Stefanishyna noted that a British national would take on this role.
"He has a very strong political and NATO background. So, it’s a rather strong appointment," she remarked.
The name of the senior civilian representative of the mission has not yet been disclosed.
Washington summit
The NATO Washington Summit took place in the summer of 2024, from July 7 to 9. During the summit, Ukraine received clear signals of support from the Alliance regarding its continued path to membership. The importance of further cooperation and providing comprehensive support to Ukraine in reforming its defense sector was reaffirmed. Additionally, NATO countries announced a new multi-year assistance program for Ukraine, which includes military, financial, and technical support to strengthen its defense capabilities.
During the Washington Summit, Ukraine received assurances that its interests would be considered when making strategic decisions within the Alliance, ensuring closer integration with NATO.
The summit also launched several joint projects in the areas of cybersecurity, military intelligence, and strategic communications aimed at strengthening Ukraine’s defense capabilities.
For more details on the key decisions for Ukraine, you can check out our detailed report.
In her interview with RBC-Ukraine, Olha Stefanishyna also explained that the invitation to Ukraine into NATO is an element of deterring Russia, rather than escalating tensions.
