Ukraine and NATO set priorities for joint training centre
Source: Ukraine's Ministry of Defence in a statement on 26 April, as reported by European Pravda
Details: The meeting was attended by Tom Goffus, Chairman of the Senior Advisory Board and NATO Assistant Secretary General for Operations; Serhii Boiev, Ukraine's Deputy Minister of Defence; Brigadier General Oleh Apostol, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine; Brigadier General Wojciech Ozga, Commander of JATEC; as well as officials from Ukraine's Ministry of Defence, representatives of NATO in Ukraine, and JATEC.
The members of the Advisory Board agreed that holding the meeting in Kyiv, with the participation of NATO representatives, the Polish Armed Forces and other senior officials, sends a strong signal of the Alliance's unity with Ukraine.
"Undoubtedly, the ultimate goal of any project is a just peace and strong security for Ukraine. Both Ukraine and NATO are interested in developing JATEC. The results of the Joint Centre's work are useful for both sides," said Boiev.
During the meeting, the parties discussed strategic matters regarding JATEC's activities and the implementation of preliminary organisational tasks. Particular attention was given to the partners' involvement in the NATO-Ukraine Joint Centre, strengthening the resilience of information systems, supporting education and training, enhancing interoperability and collaborating on solutions to challenges on the battlefield.
Oleh Apostol, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine's Armed Forces, also emphasised the importance of joint efforts to develop methods for countering Russian first-person view fibre-optic drones, which will be the focus of the next NATO Innovation Challenge meeting. Following the results of the previous hackathon, where teams have proposed solutions to counter Russian guided aerial bombs, the suggestions are being tested in combat conditions.
"Ukraine and NATO are getting closer to developing cooperation and joint efforts in several areas, including resilience, protection of civilians and new technologies. Our activities in JATEC demonstrate the shared commitment of both the Alliance and Ukraine to delivering on our tasks quickly and together," said NATO Assistant Secretary General for Operations Tom Hoffus.
Following the meeting, the JATEC Senior Advisory Board defined clear criteria for achieving the Centre's full operational capabilities and work plans for 2025-2026.
Background: JATEC, as a joint NATO-Ukraine initiative, is designed to support Ukraine's Armed Forces in their quest for full interoperability with NATO forces and to facilitate the exchange of experience between the two sides.
The Centre is commanded by Polish General Wojciech Ozga.
JATEC reached initial operational capability in January 2025 and will be fully operational by the end of this year.
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