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| Updated: 08-Oct-2002 | NATO Publications |
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The signing of the Charter on a Distinctive Partnership in Madrid in 1997 shifted cooperation between NATO and Ukraine on to a new plane and gave formal recognition to the importance of an independent, stable and democratic Ukraine to Europe as a whole. The Charter is in line with Ukraine’s declared strategy of increasing its integration in European and transatlantic structures. It is the basis on which NATO and Ukraine agree to consult in the context of Euro-Atlantic security and stability and in areas such as conflict prevention, crisis management, peace support and humanitarian operations. Seminars, joint working group meetings and other cooperative programmes have focused on areas such as defence reform and the reshaping of the defence establishment, civil-military relations, budgeting and resource planning. Seminars and courses on defence planning, retraining retiring Ukrainian military personnel and on military downsizing and conversion have also been held. Individual NATO member states have provided important support and advice in organising these activities. The North Atlantic Council meets periodically with Ukraine at Foreign Ministerial, Defence Ministerial and Ambassadorial levels in a forum established by the Charter called the NATO-Ukraine Commission (NUC). The role of the NUC is to assess implementation of the Charter and to discuss ways to improve or further develop cooperation. NATO and Ukraine have also created a Joint Working Group on Defence Reform (JWGDR) to pursue initiatives in the areas of: civil-military relations, democratic control of the armed forces, defence planning, policy, strategy and national security concepts. Ukraine also participates in the Partnership for Peace Planning and Review Process (PARP), which jointly develops goals for shaping force structure and capabilities to help Ukraine to meet her objectives for interoperability with the Alliance. In this context, in 2000, NATO and Ukraine decided to use the Planning and Review Process (PARP) as a tool to support implementation of Ukraine's State Plan for Reform of the Armed Forces. The Joint Working Group on Defence Reform also provides support for implementation of the 80 National Defence Reform Objectives (NDROs) adopted by Ukraine. As a result, every year NATO and Ukraine realise programmes of defence reform-related cooperation encompassing many NATO-Ukraine and bilateral activities. Expert and senior level contacts with the Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada and a number of governmental institutions have also been established within the framework of the activities of the JWGDR. NATO and Ukraine maintain a substantial military cooperation programme that includes: Ukraine’s active participation in the Partnership for Peace programme, NATO Military Committee dialogue with Ukraine, and practical military cooperation in NATO-led Peace Support Operations in the Balkans. Military cooperation focuses on building interoperability, which serves as the foundation for working together in support of joint goals; for example through the work of the Polish-Ukrainian Battalion in Kosovo. Military exercises, such as Exercise Cooperation Partner, hosted by Ukraine in June 2000, are an important part of this work. In addition to building interoperability, NATO-Ukraine military cooperation is increasingly focusing on helping Ukraine in her efforts to modernise and reform her defence and security structures. The reform of the Border Guard and the Interior Troops, along with development of a national crisis management system, are further examples of activities carried out in the framework of NATO-Ukraine cooperation. Recent projects also include strengthening NATO-Ukraine logistics cooperation and support for destruction of Anti-Personnel Landmines in Ukraine. Joint work in civil emergency planning and disaster preparedness is also a major area of cooperation with direct practical benefits for Ukraine. A Memorandum of Understanding on civil emergency planning was concluded in December 1997, providing for cooperation in this field. A disaster relief exercise was subsequently scheduled for September 2000, in the Transcarpathia region of Ukraine, to test humanitarian assistance procedures in the event of further flooding. Other strong areas of cooperation are the scientific field, in which NATO has supported the Ukrainian scientific community through grants; economic aspects of security; and training. In this latter context NATO has launched a programme of foreign language teaching for up to 100 Ukrainian military officers. The NATO Information and Documentation Centre opened by the NATO Secretary General in May 1997 has become a focal point for information activities to explain the benefits of the Distinctive Partnership with NATO to the Ukrainian public. The Centre is the first such centre to be opened in any NATO Partner country. It has since played an important role in explaining Alliance policies and overcoming misperceptions. In addition, a NATO Liaison Office (NLO) in Kyiv was established on 23 April 1999 to “facilitate and enhance Ukraine’s full participation in all cooperation activities within the framework of the PfP programme and enhance cooperation between NATO and Ukrainian authorities”. This includes activities under PfP, the NUC, and the Joint Working Group on Defence Reform . Other positive developments include the ratification on 1 March 2000 by the Ukrainian Parliament of the Partnership for Peace Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) and its additional protocol which entered into force on 26 May 2000. The SOFA exempts participants in PfP events from passport and visa regulations and immigration inspection on entering or leaving the territory of a receiving state and thereby facilitates Ukrainian participation in Partnership for Peace military exercises. The Parliament also gave its approval to Ukraine's adherence to the Open Skies Treaty, making an important contribution to transparency in arms control.
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