NATO members overlooking cooperation with Ukraine's defense industry – Turchynov

Ukraine's Secretary of National Security and Defense Council (NSCD) Oleksandr Turchynov and NATO Assistant Secretary General Alejandro Alvargonzalez have discussed the situation in eastern Ukraine and the extension of cooperation between Ukraine and the Alliance.

Turchynov said Ukraine is grateful for the NATO position confirmed at the Warsaw summit on July 8-9, 2016. At the same time, the NSDC secretary said their generally successful cooperation with the European Allies "artificially overlooks the issues of military and technical cooperation, which does not help in countering Russian aggression and is weakening security in Europe," the NSDC press service reported on Friday.

According to Turchynov, Russian-terrorist forces continue to demonstratively violate Minsk agreements and arrangements which were discussed in Normandy format talks in Berlin on October 19 2016

"Not a day goes without shelling of our positions with the use of banned large-caliber weapons, but all attempts to break through our defenses are doomed," the NSDC secretary said.

When discussing Ukraine's security and defense sector reform, Turchynov said the country is gradually switching to NATO standards. He noted the effective cooperation with the Alliance experts in preparation of the fundamental documents for reform strategy.

"We are grateful that there is active cooperation with our NATO partners in all the areas of reforms," he said.

The NATO assistant secretary general for his part stressed that the Alliance is interested in the multi-faceted cooperation with Ukraine, and will continue to support the country on the path of reforms and strengthening the security and defense sector.