The Ukrainian Minister of Defense revealed the intention of his forces to participate in 7 naval exercises with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), amid Kiev's complaints about the escalation of attacks by the pro-Russian separatists who control the eastern regions of the country.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Andrei Taran said that the Ukrainian armed forces this year will participate in 7 NATO exercises based on the principle of "one for all, all for one", stressing that this is an important engine for Kiev in its quest for membership in the alliance.
Taran stressed the importance of participating in these maneuvers, especially at this time, with the escalation of tension in the eastern Donbas region, and what he called Russian aggression.
He said that the Ukrainian army has gained good experience during the past years by participating in such military exercises.
The president is complaining
For his part, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky held a meeting on Wednesday with the Chairman of the NATO Military Committee, Stuart Beach.
During the meeting, Zelensky thanked NATO for its support of the Ukrainian position regarding the escalation in the Donbas front.
A statement issued by the Ukrainian presidency stated that President Zelensky expressed his country's concern about the high number of shootings on the Donbas front, which resulted in the killing of a number of Ukrainian army soldiers.
He stressed Kiev's commitment to the wording of the ceasefire resolutions signed last July.
According to a statement issued by NATO, Beach praised the Ukrainian authorities' keenness to solve the crisis in the east of the country through peaceful means.
Beach called on Russia to stop supporting the separatists in the Donbas region and withdraw its soldiers, adding that Ukraine is one of the most important and closest allies of NATO.
cease-fire
Despite the tense situation, representatives of Ukraine, Russia and the separatists agreed on Wednesday to respect the ceasefire in the east of the country after the recent escalation in the region, but without signing a document in this regard, according to the Russian "Interfax" agency.
The agency reported that all parties agreed yesterday that there were no obstacles to returning to a comprehensive ceasefire, and at the same time disagreements arose over the text of the joint statement.
It is noteworthy that from time to time clashes erupt in Donbas between Ukrainian forces and pro-Russian separatists who declared their independence in 2014, killing more than 13,000 people since then.
And recently, the Ukrainian president requested that his country join NATO, which Russia announced would lead to more tension.