The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense states that Ukrainian soldiers could participate in solving the conflict on the territory of Yugoslavia together with army units from NATO states.
Last week the Alliance demonstrated its determination to use force if necessary to stop ethnic cleansing in Kosovo by conducting major air maneuvers over Albania and Montenegro. After this Russia recalled its permanent representative from NATO headquarters. Ukrainian generals say that Ukrainian military participation will depend on a number of circumstances.
First Deputy Defense Minister General Ivan Bizhan emphasized in a talk with The Day correspondent Serhiy Zgurets, “I can say that we really do have adequate experience in peacekeeping operations in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and we could widen such actions. But only under condition that there will be no combat, and at the stage when armed conflict breaks out we will not send our forces. We will not send our boys into battle. Such a decision can be taken by only the President and Parliament.”
“And what if NATO decides to carry out actions without a corresponding UN decision, will that influence the Ukrainian position?”
“This question has been considered, and when the NATO General Secretary made his report on the crisis in Kosovo, he underscored that the Alliance will act only to carry out decisions of the UN Security Council. I don’t know where the press has reported that NATO will not need UN authorization.






