Ukraine is on eastern NATO flank, defending Europe - Poroshenko at Sea Breeze 2018
President Petro Poroshenko notes the importance of deepening Ukraine's integration with the European Union and the North Atlantic Alliance, the official website of the Ukrainian president said.
"Ukraine has clearly defined its vector of foreign policy development - membership in the EU and in the Alliance. It is an extremely important outcome of the NATO Summit for us that the final documents have clearly certified - NATO's doors to Ukraine are open. Certainly, that the decisions of the Bucharest Summit of 2008 are working. It is clearly certain that no country, including the Russian Federation, is capable of stopping the Ukrainian Euro-Atlantic movement," Poroshenko said during a visit to the multinational exercise Sea Breeze 2018 amid his working trip to Odesa.
The president thanked all partners of Ukraine for their assistance in carrying out reforms in the sphere of security and defense, as well as for supporting Ukraine in containing Russian aggression. "This is not only the protection of Ukrainian territory. We are on the eastern flank of NATO. We are jointly defending Europe ... We are open for the exchange of information, knowledge, practice, because Ukraine is practically the only country that stopped the invasion of the Russian aggressor state," said Poroshenko.
The Ukrainian-American exercise Sea Breeze 2018 is planned to be held in the Black Sea water area, military airfields and polygons of the Armed Forces, on the Tendra Spit and the military port of Ochakiv, at the Odesa International Airport, Odesa Commercial Sea Port, in the Yuzhny Sea Port, in the period from June to October during 25 days.
Up to 1,500 troops with weapons and equipment, up to 30 ships, up to 10 aircraft and helicopters of the Ukrainian Armed Forces will participate in them. Up to 1,000 military personnel, up to 10 ships, up to two submarines, up to 10 aircraft and helicopters are foreseen from the U.S. Armed Forces. Up to 1,200 military, up to 10 ships, up to three submarines, up to 10 aircraft and helicopters will participate from the Armed Forces of NATO countries.
