Ukraine President Tells Poles He Wants EU, NATO Membership

[Hindustani78]

Ukrainian soldiers go to Lithuania for medical treatment - watch on - uatoday.tv
Jan. 10, 2015

A number of Ukrainian soldiers injured whilst fighting Russian-backed insurgents in east Ukraine have arrived in Lithuania for medical treatment.

Lithuanian doctors say they will help soldiers suffering from shellshock to recover their hearing and their sight.

Lithuania has been a staunch supporter of Ukraine since the Kremlin began attempts last year to destabilise the country through its seizure of the Crimean Peninsula and by backing insurgents in the Donbas region.

Gvidas Kerushauskas, Minister-Counselor of the Lithuanian Embassy in Ukraine: "We know what aggression and war is, we've had injured and killed soldiers too. We will help with everything we can. What we can do is help soldiers and refugees."

Last year Lithuanian doctors treated 43 injured Ukrainian soldiers and several dozen children.

Association Agreement with EU to be discussed at Riga summit - Ukrainian foreign minister
10.01.2015
Kyiv has high hopes for the Riga summit of the Eastern Partnership initiative, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin has said.

"We have great expectations for the Riga summit of the Eastern Partnership," he said at a joint briefing with Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics in Kyiv on Saturday.

He said that at this summit the Ukrainian side intends to get a vision of how the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement will be implemented.

In addition, Klimkin said, Ukraine has high expectations of the liberalization of the visa regime, as well as "the achievement of a new quality of cooperation between Ukraine and the EU and the Eastern Partnership countries that have an EU integration location and EU integration aspirations."

Rinkevics, in turn, said that the Eastern Partnership summit in Riga would determine concrete steps towards European integration of Ukraine and Georgia.

"I very much hope that at the Riga summit we will be able to formulate a concrete vision of what needs to be done and which path should be walked by Ukraine and Georgia. And the Ukrainian president has assured me that he will be a supporter of such a symmetric approach. I think that this is the right way," he said.

 

[Hindustani78]

Ukraine-NATO working group considers ways to introduce NATO standards to Ukraine's security
17.01.2015

Members of the joint NATO-Ukraine working group have discussed the prospect of improving the partnership between Ukraine and NATO during the 20th meeting of the group, held at the state-run Ukroboronprom Concern in Kyiv on Wednesday.

"Issues on assisting in providing prosthetic care for anti-terrorist operation participants, who lost their limbs, logistics system reform and the standardization of the defense ministry via NATO's trust funds in Ukraine, and the improvement of the capabilities of the management and communications system of Ukrainian Armed Forces, were considered. Tens of millions of dollars are to be sent to the accounts of these funds in 2015. [The money] will be used to develop Ukraine's troops and boost the country's security and defense system," the press service of the Defense Ministry of Ukraine said, on the results of the meeting.

NATO Assistant Secretary General for Defense Investment Patrick Auroy said that not only NATO headquarters was working on the Ukrainian issue, but all 28 member-states of the organization.

At the meeting, we discussed further ways of cooperation between Ukraine and NATO, particularly the introduction of NATO standards in Ukraine's security and defense sector, which will allow the armed forces to be compatible with similar NATO structures, and efficiently participate in joint operations, Auroy said.

According to the Defense Ministry, due to the realization of the NATO concept "Smart Defense," Ukroboronprom is involved in the "Port Security" project that Ukraine joined in 2014. Based on the results of the presentation of Ukraine's developments, Ukrainian-made sonar detection equipment may be used in training exercises that will start in autumn 2015, at a naval base in Lisbon.

"I don't have any doubts that our joint efforts with NATO will manage to boost our country's defense capacity," Ukroboronprom director Roman Romanov noted.

 

[Hindustani78]

U.S. Air Force delegation works in Vinnytsya - Міністерство оборони України

Wednesday, January 21. VINNYTSYA — Specialists on flight security of the U.S. delegation of California Air National Guard, led by Lt. Col. Robert Swertfager, work in Vinnytsya with representatives of the Ukrainian Air Force led by Maj. Gen. Viktor Gamora, Acting Chief of Staff, Air Force.

This visit is aimed at exchange of experience and flights security procedures, observance of sovereignty of air space, actions of alert forces, tactics, methods and procedure of aviation actions.

Maj. Gen. Viktor Gamora invited guests to participate in the bilateral Polish-Ukrainian Exercise Safe Sky-2015 as observers.

In the course of the visit to Ukraine, the U.S. delegation will have opportunity to see An-26 ‘Vita’ aircraft and Mi-8MT helicopter.

 

[Hindustani78]

NATO calls on Russia to pull troops from Ukraine| Reuters

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg reviews a guard of honour during a welcoming ceremony at the Chancellery in Berlin January 14, 2015.

Jan 21, 2015 11:55am EST

(Reuters) - NATO said on Wednesday it had seen an increase in the numbers of tanks, artillery pieces and other heavy military equipment being used by Russian troops in eastern Ukraine and renewed a call for Moscow to withdraw.

Jens Stoltenberg, the Western alliance's secretary-general, told a news briefing that NATO had monitored Russian troops in Ukraine for several months and an increase lately in the amount of equipment. He declined comment on specific numbers of troops. Russia denies Ukrainian accusations that its forces are present.

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.ukrinform.ua/eng/news/ukraine_may_become_nato_member_in_ten_years_328420

KYIV, January 22 /Ukrinform/. In the next decade Ukraine will join NATO, secretary of the parliamentary committee for national security and defense Ivan Vynnyk has said, press service of the Bloc of Petro Poroshenko informs.

"I believe that in the next decade Ukraine will join NATO because it deals not only with security of Ukraine. I emphasize that it deals with security of Europe as a whole, the stability of the world as a whole," the MP said.

"We have received the criteria of the North Atlantic Alliance to understand what we need to change in the military-industrial complex, how to reform the army to be ready for the NATO membership," Vynnyk said.

The MP reminded of the decision of the Verkhovna Rada to abolish the non-aligned status of Ukraine.

In addition, the MP said that the Ukrainian people will take final decision on this issue.

 

[Hindustani78]

Ministry of National Defence Republic of Lithuania :: News » News Releases

n January 23 Minister of National Defence Juozas Olekas will meet with soldiers of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, participants of the anti-terrorism operation (ATO) in Eastern Ukraine, at the Military Rehabilitation Centre of MD Jonas Basanavičius Military Medical Service in Druskininkai.


Seven injured participants of the anti-terrorism operation in Eastern Ukraine were brought to Lithuania from Kyiv (Ukraine) by the Spartan transport aircraft of the Lithuanian Air Force brought on January 9.



Four of them are on aftercare at the Military Rehabilitation Centre while other three are receiving medical care at the Druskininkai Hospital.



Soldiers of the Ukrainian Armed Forces receive treatment and undergo rehabilitation in Lithuania by Ukraine’s request.



The Minister will also meet with mayor of Druskininkai city Ričardas Malinauskas, visit the Durskininkai Company of the 1st Territorial Unit, Dainava Military District, National Defence Volunteer Force, and the 3rd Company of the Druskininkai Riflemen, 1st Territorial Unit, Lithuanian Riflemen’s Association. l

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.ukrinform.ua/eng/news/eu_hopes_to_abolish_visas_for_ukrainians_in_2016_328485
KYIV, January 26 /Ukrinform/. The European Union hopes for the introduction of a visa-free regime with Ukraine in 2016.

Latvian Ambassador to Ukraine Argita Daudze said this on Monday during a press conference in Kiev, an Ukrinform correspondent reported.

"We consider the summit in Riga as a working event. We would like to achieve progress in the issue of the boundary crossing for Ukrainians, if that is possible. We want 2016 to become a year of introduction of a short-term visa-free regime for Ukraine and Georgia," she said.

Daudze said that a political decision on visa-free regime would be based on an expert opinion on Ukraine's readiness for this regime.

"We urge Ukraine to work on the implementation of the action plan for liberalization of visa regime," Daudze said.

According to her, the introduction of biometric passports is an important step in this direction, but the European experts also expect further progress in prosecution and judiciary reforms, fight against corruption and organized crime.

"Expert report will be prepared ahead of the Riga Summit. The document will conclude whether Ukraine is ready for visa-free regime with the European Union, hopefully, in 2016," the Latvian diplomat said.

As reported, Latvia will hold the Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the first half of 2015.

ir

 

[Ind4Ever]

Ukraine President Tells Poles He Wants EU, NATO Membership - Real Time Brussels - WSJ

Ukraine’s president said in Warsaw on Wednesday he would propose to walk away from the country’s nonaligned status to eventually join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the European Union.

“Ukraine’s non-aligned status announced in 2010 hasn’t guaranteed our security and our territorial integrity which is why in this chamber today I made a decision that the country will return to the Euro-Atlantic security direction,” Petro Poroshenko said in a speech to Polish parliament, frequently interrupted by applause. “After returning home, I will propose to Ukrainian parliament a bill renouncing my country’s nonaligned status.”

Poland has supported Ukraine’s independence and was the first country to have recognized it after the collapse of communism in 1989, seeing Ukraine as a potential ally separating it from mainland Russia.

Amid the separatist conflict in eastern Ukraine and Moscow’s explicit warnings that it could use its nuclear arsenal to advance interests, Poland’s prime minister, Ewa Kopacz, in her first appearance in that role in September backtracked on how far Warsaw was willing to go to support Kiev. She said Poland’s priority was its own safety and that Poland wouldn’t “supplant Ukrainians in reforming their country.”

Western leaders are divided as to Ukraine’s prospects of membership in the EU and NATO, with some of the larger countries opposing it in order not to irritate Russia. Mr. Poroshenko recognized on Wednesday that Ukraine isn’t currently welcome to join those organizations.

“There were times when Poland was also not welcome and had to fight for its right to be in the European Union. We will follow your path and will win,” he said.

Ukraine hopes to formally apply by 2020 for EU membership, he added.

“I’m dreaming of the moment when after I end my presidency I will have a chance to run in elections to the European Parliament representing Ukraine there.”

He also said a referendum on NATO membership will be organized and that Ukraine will switch to NATO military standards.

Ukrainians made a mistake by being pacifist in the 1990s and missed their chance to integrate with NATO, Mr. Poroshenko said.

“Over the past 20 years, Poland has advanced so much, is a member of the EU and has shown it’s able to get great results. Ukraine lost many of these years,” he said, adding his nation was paying a high price, losing soldiers in the fight with Russian-backed separatists, “for our European identity and our independence.”

It won't happen . Even America will veto this move by Ukraine. As Russians already warned of snapping ties and agreements with NATO and EU if Ukraine given member ship. Because it means war. How NATO can be even closer to Russia ? It's matter of security for them . So it will invite world war 3 . No one wants it as of now. Every one took a toll on their budget for the last 10 years

Germany calls the final shot in the EU. Germany is the one to ask in terms of the EU. The US calls the final shot in NATO. The US is the one to ask in terms of NATO.

If that's the case then Russia will invade Europe . It's war already.

 

[Hindustani78]

It won't happen . Even America will veto this move by Ukraine. As Russians already warned of snapping ties and agreements with NATO and EU if Ukraine given member ship. Because it means war. How NATO can be even closer to Russia ? It's matter of security for them . So it will invite world war 3 . No one wants it as of now. Every one took a toll on their budget for the last 10 years

It will happen and has to happen because the events which took place in Ukraine since the last decade has made majority of Ukranians towards EU and NATO. Russian Federation did use gas supplies, Nuclear fuel supplies and even military and space deals which was making Ukranian Government very uncomfortable and it was damaging its whole system and economy. And Euro Maidan events were like the last blow.

Already Russian Federation is placing Air defenses and fighter planes in Belarus and its even like a threat to NATO member countries. Russian Federation is going to do that in the coming few months and this will let NATO countries to bring in thier military equipment.

 

[Hindustani78]

NATO urges Russia pull its soldiers, advisors, out of Ukraine| Ukrinform

KYIV, February 2 /Ukrinform/. The NATO allies should stay united and firm and increase the costs to Russia of its aggression against Ukraine.

This has been announced by NATO Deputy Secretary General, Alexander Vershbow, giving a speech to the Nobel Institute in Oslo, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"We must stay united, stay firm and increase the costs to Russia of its aggression. Over time, Russia will see that it is in its own best interests to return to a policy of cooperation," the U.S. diplomat said.

He called on Russia to de-escalate the situation, to stop sending weapons and supplies to the rebels and to pull its soldiers and advisors out of eastern Ukraine.

The NATO Deputy Secretary General noted that "Russia's aggression against Ukraine is not an isolated incident, but a game-changer in European security."

 

[Hindustani78]

Lithuanian-Polish-Ukrainian brigade might hold first exercises in autumn - EN.DELFI

The Lithuanian-Polish-Ukrainian joint military brigade, currently being established, might hold the first joint military exercises in the coming autumn, Polish Defence Minister Tomasz Siemoniak said in Vilnius on Wednesday.

"We confirmed out plans to establish the Lithuanian-Polish-Ukrainian brigade as soon as possible. We hope that not only the command centers will be established but the first exercises will be held in the fall," the minister told journalists.

The agreement on the establishment of the trilateral brigade was signed last September and is in the process of ratification.

According to Siemoniak, the joint brigade will help to reform the Ukrainian army and bring it closer to NATO standards.

The Lithuanian Defence Minister, Juozas Olekas, said it would send six troops to the brigade's headquarters in the Polish city of Lublin. In his words, the brigade will hold training events in all three countries.


Olekas also pledged support to Poland's wish to strengthen the Szczecin-based NATO Multinational Corps Northeast, and also informed about Lithuania's plans to increase the number of its troops at this headquarters to 10 as early as this year.

 

[Tshering22]

It won't happen . Even America will veto this move by Ukraine. As Russians already warned of snapping ties and agreements with NATO and EU if Ukraine given member ship. Because it means war. How NATO can be even closer to Russia ? It's matter of security for them . So it will invite world war 3 . No one wants it as of now. Every one took a toll on their budget for the last 10 years


If that's the case then Russia will invade Europe . It's war already.

NATO wants war. War economy is the only way it can continue to exist.

Why do you think this started in the first place? Poroshenko is a US puppet and Yatsenyuk made the bridge for this.

Do you really think they'd have pissed off Russia when EU and Russia were about to sign some very important and strategic agreements? Had those agreements signed up, Europe would have sidelined US militarily as the need would have ceased. US had to do something quick.

Ukraine was the easiest thing.

The agreement won't start a war, it will simply push Russia to deploy MIRV loaded ICBMs across its border, send in active troops just inches away from western Europe, forcing them also to station their troops.

It won't translate to open conflict (NATO WON'T fight Russia unless their own existence is physically threatened; this is not some tiny tinpot nation we're talking about), but it will definitely mean a military build up that European countries cannot afford at this stage with 4-5 of their countries have collapsed and are in economic ICU.

Russian economy is also weak but they don't really have to rely on western countries. The whole world is open for trade.

 

[PeaceGen]

Ukraine President Tells Poles He Wants EU, NATO Membership - Real Time Brussels - WSJ

Ukraine’s president said in Warsaw on Wednesday he would propose to walk away from the country’s nonaligned status to eventually join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the European Union.

“Ukraine’s non-aligned status announced in 2010 hasn’t guaranteed our security and our territorial integrity which is why in this chamber today I made a decision that the country will return to the Euro-Atlantic security direction,” Petro Poroshenko said in a speech to Polish parliament, frequently interrupted by applause. “After returning home, I will propose to Ukrainian parliament a bill renouncing my country’s nonaligned status.”

Poland has supported Ukraine’s independence and was the first country to have recognized it after the collapse of communism in 1989, seeing Ukraine as a potential ally separating it from mainland Russia.

Amid the separatist conflict in eastern Ukraine and Moscow’s explicit warnings that it could use its nuclear arsenal to advance interests, Poland’s prime minister, Ewa Kopacz, in her first appearance in that role in September backtracked on how far Warsaw was willing to go to support Kiev. She said Poland’s priority was its own safety and that Poland wouldn’t “supplant Ukrainians in reforming their country.”

Western leaders are divided as to Ukraine’s prospects of membership in the EU and NATO, with some of the larger countries opposing it in order not to irritate Russia. Mr. Poroshenko recognized on Wednesday that Ukraine isn’t currently welcome to join those organizations.

“There were times when Poland was also not welcome and had to fight for its right to be in the European Union. We will follow your path and will win,” he said.

Ukraine hopes to formally apply by 2020 for EU membership, he added.

“I’m dreaming of the moment when after I end my presidency I will have a chance to run in elections to the European Parliament representing Ukraine there.”

He also said a referendum on NATO membership will be organized and that Ukraine will switch to NATO military standards.

Ukrainians made a mistake by being pacifist in the 1990s and missed their chance to integrate with NATO, Mr. Poroshenko said.

“Over the past 20 years, Poland has advanced so much, is a member of the EU and has shown it’s able to get great results. Ukraine lost many of these years,” he said, adding his nation was paying a high price, losing soldiers in the fight with Russian-backed separatists, “for our European identity and our independence.”

This is utter stupidity that'll expose the Ukrainian people to even more danger and bloodshed than they experienced until now, while the oligarchs that sold it to them escape the country with their large sums of money.
DONT FALL FOR IT, UKRAINIANS!

NATO wants war. War economy is the only way it can continue to exist.

Why do you think this started in the first place? Poroshenko is a US puppet and Yatsenyuk made the bridge for this.

Do you really think they'd have pissed off Russia when EU and Russia were about to sign some very important and strategic agreements? Had those agreements signed up, Europe would have sidelined US militarily as the need would have ceased. US had to do something quick.

Ukraine was the easiest thing.

The agreement won't start a war, it will simply push Russia to deploy MIRV loaded ICBMs across its border, send in active troops just inches away from western Europe, forcing them also to station their troops.

It won't translate to open conflict (NATO WON'T fight Russia unless their own existence is physically threatened; this is not some tiny tinpot nation we're talking about), but it will definitely mean a military build up that European countries cannot afford at this stage with 4-5 of their countries have collapsed and are in economic ICU.

Russian economy is also weak but they don't really have to rely on western countries. The whole world is open for trade.

I hope it won't come to war, but i fear it does mean a reboot of the entire cold war including the arms buildups.

 

[boomslang]

Ukraine is a sovereign country. They can join what ever the f*ck they want. If it makes Vladi crap his retard pants, that's on him.

 

[PeaceGen]

Ukraine is a sovereign country. They can join what ever the f*ck they want. If it makes Vladi crap his retard pants, that's on him.

You choose to ignore the years-long hidden campaign (including a new forged-elections strategy) that got that "vote" for EU and NATO membership by the "Ukrainian people" on the table.

And in doing so, you're supporting extremely arrogant and unwise NATO expansionism right onto Russia's western border.

Protect from all enemies, foreign and domestic. And that's exactly what the **** i'm gonna do here. I'm on the Russian's side until they show actual unreasonability.