The Ukrainian army, which celebrated its 18th birthday last Sunday, does have things to be proud of. The Armed Forces of Ukraine, which are showing their own people and the world a high class even in the current difficult conditions, deserve thanks for responsibility and courage. Do you need any proof of our army’s quality? The outside world agrees that Ukrainian peacekeepers are among the best. And this is no exaggeration, for about 34,000 Ukrainian servicemen have been taking part in peacekeeping operations since 1992. Today, the Ukrainians can be found in Kosovo, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, Liberia, Moldova (Transnistria), and Afghanistan. The black berets of Ukrainian marines are considered a guarantee of peace and stability in the Balkans. For months on end, Ukrainian guys patrol roads and do guard duty at checkpoints in alien countries to prevent interethnic clashes, repair roads, donate blood for local children, and offer medical and even veterinary assistance. Yet, much to our regret, one of the world’s best peacekeeping forces is paid half as much as what their counterparts from other countries receive. It is difficult to enumerate all the awards that the UN has conferred on our servicemen. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian parliament has not passed the law on international military exercises on the territory of Ukraine, thus in fact denying soldiers an opportunity to upgrade their skills. Moreover, the Ukrainian army has had no minister of defense for almost six months, which only aggravates the situation. Add to this chronic underfunding. Shortly before Ukrainian Armed Forces Day, Brussels hosted a meeting of the Ukraine-NATO Commission. Although it is basically a political event, military matters are also high on the agenda. NATO Secretary General Andres Fogh Rasmussen expressed gratitude to the Ukrainians for taking part in peacekeeping operations.
