Head of National Security Bureau visits Ukraine - News - National Security Bureau

11.10.2016

Head of National Security Bureau visits Ukraine

On 10th and 11th October, Head of the National Security Bureau paid a visit to Ukraine. Minister Paweł Soloch met with O. Turchynov - Secretary of National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine, S. Poltorak – Minister of Defence, and A. Avakov – Minister of Internal Affairs to discuss security in the region, NATO Summit decisions and bilateral cooperation. Chief of the National Security Bureau also held talks with the President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko.

President Petro Poroshenko will visit Poland on 2 December 2016, upon the invitation of President Andrzej Duda. Poland was the first country to acknowledge Ukraine`s independence on 2 December 1991.

“The basic goal of Polish politics is to make sure that the Ukrainian issue is not forgotten and to assure that matters related to Ukraine`s security are not seen exclusively as issues connected with the security of Poland and countries termed as NATO`S Eastern flank”, Head of National Security Bureau told a press briefing in Kiev.

Furthermore, Minister Soloch informed that during the talks with his Ukrainian partners the following issues were raised: practical implementation of the decisions adopted by the NATO Summit in Warsaw last July, where assistance package for Ukraine was confirmed, as well as the Polish-Ukrainian military cooperation including, among others, the LITPOLUKR brigade composed of the three nations.  

“We also talked about sharing experiences, about what Poland can pass on to Ukraine with regard to compatibility with NATO structures, and what kind  of military experience Ukraine can share as a result of the ongoing war in its territory”, the Minister noted.

Talking about the conflict in Eastern Ukraine, Paweł Soloch referred to the Minsk Agreements with regard to the Donbas region, which continues to be the scene of clashes between Ukrainian national forces and the pro-Russian separatists. “We are trying to remind our EU and NATO partners which of the two belligerent countries is the aggressor and which is the victim. And this is the perspective which should be adopted when assessing the actions of Ukraine and Russia as far as the fulfillment of the Minsk Agreements is concerned.

The Minister also assured that, according to Warsaw, the reasons why sanctions on Russia were imposed still exist and Poland`s position to keep them in place remains unchanged.  

On the second day of his visit to Ukraine, the Minister took part in the opening ceremony of the International Exhibition “Arms and Security”, where Polish companies were among those presenting their equipment.

Head of the National Security Bureau reminded that during the last NATO Summit in Warsaw, Poland and Ukraine signed a protocol to the agreement on military and technical cooperation between the two countries. He also pointed to the possible areas of bilateral cooperation: “Ukrainians are interested in our fire-control systems and in our ammunition, but we have to wait for the results of the exhibition, such as contracts which will be signed and implemented”.

In Kiev, Head of the National Security Bureau laid a traditional basket of flowers and ears of grain at the Monument commemorating the Holodomor Victims and lit a candle in the Heavenly Hundred Heroes Alley.

Source: PAP

photos: Vladimir Strumkovsky