Ukraine will provide material and technical resources and services for strategic air transportation as part of an EU military training mission to Mali in response to a relevant request from the European Union, the Foreign Ministry of Ukraine said in a comment published on Wednesday.

"Ukraine continues to take steps to deepen practical cooperation with the EU in the field of foreign and security policy. Another step aimed at enhancing the interaction of Ukraine and the EU in this area was the signing of the presidential decree on Ukraine's participation in the European Union's military training mission to the Republic of Mali. Ukraine took this decision in response to a request from the EU," the comment reads.

Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych signed respective decree No. 5/2014 on Ukraine's participation in the military training mission of the European Union to Mali on January 14.

The decree foresees Ukraine's participation in the mission through the provision of material and technical resources and services for strategic air transportation. The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine was instructed to resolve this issue in the prescribed manner.

The decree states that participation in this mission "meets the national interests of Ukraine and will contribute to the maintenance of international peace and security."

The decree refers to Ukraine's commitments as a UN member state, the proposals of the National Security and Defense Council, the law on Ukraine's participation in international peacekeeping operations, UN Security Council resolution No. 2085 of December 20, 2012, the agreement between Ukraine and the EU on determining the general scheme of Ukraine's participation in the EU's crisis management operations, as well as the EU's address to the Ukrainian government on participation in the EU military training mission to Mali.