MEETING OF THE NATO-UKRAINE COMMISSION
AT AMBASSADORIAL 
LEVEL
NATO HQ, 
BRUSSELS
 
14 
SEPTEMBER AT 10H00
 
OPENING 
REMARKS BY THE SECRETARY GENERAL
 
Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to the NATO-Ukraine 
Commission.
 
Prime Minister Yanukovych, I would like to extend a warm 
welcome to you and your delegation to NATO Headquarters this morning.   
 
Let me begin by underscoring the importance of the NATO-Ukraine 
Distinctive Partnership, for the states represented around this table, for the 
Euro-Atlantic community and beyond. 
 
In helping the Alliance carry out its mission in Afghanistan, in working 
with us in the international struggle against terrorism, in contributing forces 
to NATO-led peace support operations in the Balkans and the NATO Training 
Mission in Iraq, Ukraine has demonstrated time and again her capacity to serve 
as a leading exporter of security. Allies recognise and appreciate this. 
 
But Ukraine has done more than cooperate with 
the North Atlantic Alliance to promote external security. It has used the tools 
of the Distinctive Partnership to benefit from Allies’ experience and expertise, 
and to advance the aspirations of the Ukrainian people to build a modern, 
democratic state, supported by capable, accountable defence and security 
institutions. 
 
In the framework of the NATO-Ukraine Action 
Plan and, since April of last year, the Intensified Dialogue on Ukraine’s 
membership aspirations and relevant reforms, NATO and Ukraine have agreed to 
joint principles and objectives in the political, economic, military, security 
and defence spheres. We have agreed to take concrete steps toward the 
achievement of these objectives. 
 
Six months ago, Ukraine marked an important milestone toward meeting 
these ambitious objectives, electing a new parliament in free and fair elections 
that demonstrated a firm commitment to the values that underpin both the North 
Atlantic Alliance and the NATO-Ukraine Distinctive Partnership. As the Head of 
Government chosen by that parliament, we look forward to learning more about 
your plans for taking forward Ukraine's reform efforts and further developing 
NATO-Ukraine cooperation.
 
Let me assure you, Mr Prime Minister, that the Alliance stands ready to 
support you where we can.
 
With this, ladies and gentlemen, I give the floor to Prime Minister 
Yanukovych.