Ukraine champions ‘full interoperability’ with NATO weapons systems in ‘historic’ partnership

Ukraine on Thursday championed its evolving partnership with NATO as “full interoperability” and stated it has gained entry to the alliance’s trendy weaponry as its conflict with Russia continues for the ninth week.

Greater than 40 NATO members and allied nations from world wide met for U.S.-led talks in Germany and agreed to supply extra help for Ukraine this week. 

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Ukrainian Minister of Protection Oleksii Reznikov stated Thursday that there had been “tectonic shifts on the stage of philosophy” in relation to Kyiv’s relationship with NATO and different allied nations.

“For a very long time, we now have been convincing our companions that it’s advisable to supply Ukraine with Western-compliant weapons that meet NATO requirements,” he stated. “The transition to Western calibers and know-how is a strategic resolution that has lastly been made.

“Step by step, this can guarantee full interoperability of the Ukrainian military with the armies of NATO nations,” Reznikov added. 

The protection minister stated that since taking over his put up final yr, he made becoming a member of the 30-member alliance a prime precedence.

It’s unclear if Ukraine will nonetheless search to affix NATO on condition that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy conceded the ambition final month amid peace talks with Moscow.

However talks have stalled and Russia has refused to halt its lethal assault in Ukraine, even suggesting that it’s going to look to neighboring Moldova subsequent. 

Reznikov applauded the U.S. for not solely bringing collectively nations from the European Union and NATO however from Africa, the Center East and Asia to encourage them to supply elevated safety help to fend off Russia’s advances. 

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Ukraine Protection Minister Oleksii Reznikov, second proper, speaks to his counterpart from Lithuania, Arvydas Anusauskas, at Ramstein Air Base in Germany, Tuesday, April 26, 2022.
(AP Picture/Michael Probst)

“This can be a actual coalition, whose aim isn’t just to restrain the Kremlin, however to defeat Russian tyranny, to supply the civilized world with the chance to win this conflict,” he stated.

The protection minister stated an advisory group had been established that can meet as soon as a month to coordinate logistics to get Ukraine the safety defenses it wants. 

“For instance, when choices are made to supply Ukraine with one or one other weapon, by coordination, weapons of the identical sort will come from completely different nations,” he defined. “I cannot conceal – three months in the past this activity was thought of virtually inconceivable.”

Reznikov stated the partnership is not going to solely assist to extra effectively provide Ukraine with weapons however will assist with “interoperability” amongst protection industries as nations look to discourage Russia from increasing its marketing campaign in Europe. 

The U.S. and allied nations have repeatedly voiced concern over sending Ukraine sure forms of defensive help that its forces haven’t been skilled on. 

Ukrainian servicemen fireplace a BM-21 Grad a number of rocket launch system on Wednesday within the Kharkiv area.
(Reuters/Serhii Nuzhnenko)

However final week a senior protection official stated the U.S. was skirting this concern by coaching a small group of Ukrainian forces on trendy weaponry in a third-party nation. These troopers can then return to Ukraine to coach their fellow troops. 

“Our troopers have been mastering Western weapons for a while,” the protection minister stated. “Now the coaching applications shall be scaled up and prolonged.

“These are really historic modifications that can materialize within the coming weeks and months,” he stated.