Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko has approved a plan for the Ukrainian Armed Forces to take part in multinational exercises in and outside Ukraine 2016 and allowing foreign armed forces to take part in multinational exercises in Ukraine in 2016.
The relevant decree was published on the presidential website on Saturday.
"To approve a Plan for conducting multinational exercises with participation of the Ukrainian Armed Forces on Ukrainian territory and their participation in multinational exercises outside Ukraine in 2016. To allow the armed forces of foreign states onto Ukrainian territory in 2016 for participation in multinational exercises as part of military cooperation," reads the decree.
The document lists the participating foreign states, with dates and titles of the exercises. Thus, plans include participation by armed forces of the United States and other NATO member states and participants of NATO's Partnership for Peace (PfP) program (up to 5,000 troops with arms and military hardware and up to 12 planes and helicopters) for up to 366 days in January-December 2016 for multinational military exercises; by Canada, Lithuania, Poland (up to 600 troops with arms and military hardware), for up to 25 days in May-November 2016 for the Maple Arch-2016 multinational exercise.
In addition, the U.S. and other NATO members and PfP participants will contribute up to 2,000 troops with arms and military hardware, up to 15 ships, up to five submarines, up to 12 planes and helicopters and up to 100 wheeled vehicles for up to 25 days in June-October 2016 for the Sea Breeze-2016 U.S.-Ukrainian military exercise; the U.S., other NATO members and PfP participants will contribute up to 2,000 troops with arms and military hardware, up to five plans and ten helicopters for up to 25 days in June-November 2016 for the Rapid Trident-2016 U.S.-Ukrainian military exercise.
Poroshenko has instructed his Cabinet to ensure timely access by, and withdrawal of foreign armed forces to and from Ukraine, as well as the safety of Ukrainian and other citizens during the exercises.
The Ukrainian defense minister will be responsible for the preparation and conduct of the multinational military exercises in Ukraine in 2016 and ensuring the Ukrainian Armed Forces' participation in multinational exercise abroad in 2016.
The bill allowing foreign troops into Ukraine for participation in multinational exercises in 2016 was approved by Verkhovna Rada in the early hours of December 25.
