NATO's assistance to Ukraine is unrelated to the situation in the anti-terrorist operation (ATO) zone in the east of the country, Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Ihor Dolhov said.

"NATO is not a party to the political Minsk agreements. Today the alliance is a partner of Ukraine. What is more, we are a strategic, special partner of NATO. Hence, any assistance coming from the alliance is not directly related to the hostilities in eastern Ukraine. It does not have a direct influence on the situation in the ATO zone either," Dolhov said at a press conference in Kyiv on Thursday.

"The cessation of fire in eastern Ukraine and the political resolution of this situation are political matters addressed in the Normandy format," he said.

Interaction between Ukraine, NATO and its member states is currently limited to the sharing of experience and knowledge, material and other kinds of assistance, and training of Ukrainian units according to NATO standards, the deputy minister said.

"We will be fostering all that," Dolhov said.

He especially noted the alliance's assistance to Donbas demining operations.