NATO's agency for supporting and equipping member states (NSPA) has recommended including Ukrainian arms producers in the list of producers of military equipment used by NATO members and alliance partners, Ukraine's state-owned defense concern Ukroboronprom announced on Tuesday.

"Ukroboronprom received permission to take part in tenders to supply goods and services sought by NATO member states under the aegis of the non-system brokerage services," the press release said.

"Ukraine is the first of east European NATO partners which would be included in the list. This testifies to the fact that NATO recognizes the potential of our government's military industrial complex and trusts it," Ukroboronprom officials said.

Ukraine's NATO representative said preparations are already underway to make contractual and legal changes to become eligible for NSPA tenders.

Ukraine and NATO accelerated dialogue and cooperation in 2014. At the start of 2015 Kyiv announced plans to join NATO's procurement system. Ukraine plans by 2020 to switch production to NATO standards.

Until recently, one of the key sectors in which Ukraine's military industrial complex has cooperated with the alliance is import substitution. According to Ukroboronprom, 40 companies under its aegis have been given access to the NATO Catalogue of References for Logistics.

Ukroboronprom in 2016 announced plans to conduct reforms of Ukraine's military industrial base by corporatizing branches, conducting audits, creating military enterprise clusters, protecting technology, as well as launching platforms for military innovation.

Ukraine pegs its successful implementation of reforms with broadening technological cooperation with the U.S. in the sphere of military industrial production.