Greece Pledges Support for Ukraine’s NATO Aspirations

Greece is ready to lend Ukraine comprehensive support in its hopes to join NATO, including to assist the administrative structures of Ukraine’s Armed Forces embrace the standards of the alliance. According to Interfax- Ukraine, Greece National Defense Headquarters Commander Georgios Antonakoupulos (photo center) made a statement to this effect during the meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart Petro Shuliak. As Mr. Shuliak underscored in his speech, the strategic aim of Ukraine as a whole and the Armed Forces in part is integration with European structures. According to Mr. Antonakopulos, he has seen for himself that Ukraine is actually reforming its Armed Forces. Together with helping the administrative structures of Ukraine’s Armed Forces embrace NATO standards, Greece pledges Ukraine support along any other line of cooperation, which, the Greek leadership believes, is a shortcut to more friendly relations. Incidentally, Ukraine and Greece have had previous experience of military and technical cooperation. A NATO member state, Greece has purchased Ukrainian Zubr (bison) landing craft.