The NATO headquarters is planning that Ukraine will join the NATO Response Force (NRF) in 2015–2016, the Military Committee spokesman Col. Massimo Panizzi said in Brussels. In his words, “Ukraine will be the first non-NATO member state to contribute to the NRF.” Col. Panizzi added that this issue would still be discussed at the level of Ukraine and NATO chiefs of the general staff on January 26 in Brussels. The Military Committee spokesman said it is “a major step towards the defense reform” which the alliance expects Kyiv will take on its way to the status of NATO membership candidate. It will be recalled that NATO Response Force’s air, land, and maritime components are capable of rapidly responding to crisis situations.
COMMENTARY
Mykola SUNHUROVSKY, military programs director, Razumkov Center:
“It is undoubtedly a positive moment, and if this problem is settled at the level of the NATO and Ukraine leadership, this will be a positive step. This will contribute to a better training of the Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel to be deployed as part of the NATO Response Force. Negotiations on this matter are still underway. I will recall that Ukraine is taking part in the evaluation and planning of forces. About 40 units are being trained to participate in the NATO rapid response program. Besides, it should be noted that Ukraine has long been offering NATO its troops airlift facilities.
“Once the military have finished their consultations, the matter will be referred to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. I hope this will not go belly up, as it has repeatedly happened before.
“As for the attitude of the new president to cooperation with NATO, I can say that everything depends on the political responsibility of the leaders themselves and on the extent to which the interests of Ukraine, rather than those of their personal clan, are important to them. The point is that every politician reconsiders their possibilities, intentions, and interests once they assume a new office.
“In principle, everything does not depend on NATO or Ukraine only. Very much depends on Russia. Russia is now in the grip of contradictory processes. As you know, Ukraine and Russia are partners in the military-industrial complex, but Kyiv was once told: ‘If you are joining NATO, do you really need a partner like this?’ Russia is now more and more often turning to NATO member states in armament matters. They maintain deeper and more fruitful cooperation with NATO. And they are viewing Ukraine as a rival.”
