Ukraine’s defense ministry deepens NATO research cooperation

The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine and the NATO Science and Technology Organization (STO) are collaborating to coordinate scientific research in the military sphere.

Rubryka reports this, citing the press service of the Ministry of Defense.

According to Deputy Minister of Defense, Brigadier General of Justice Serhii Melnyk, this effort will involve:

• Scientific institutions,
• Military higher educational institutions,
• Military units and institutions within the Ministry of Defense structure.

Melnyk noted that representatives of these organizations will participate in meetings of the NATO Science and Technology Board (STB) and work together to develop a joint program of activities.

Volodymyr Mirnenko, director of the Department of Military Education and Science of the Ministry of Defense, commented on the initiative. He highlighted that combining the experience of Ukrainian scientists with NATO's modern innovative approaches will result in high-quality outcomes for mutual application in combat conditions.

"This is an additional opportunity to increase our efforts in the field of security and defense. The experience of Ukrainian scientists combined with modern innovative approaches of specialists from NATO member states should yield a high-quality result for mutual application during combat operations," the official emphasized.

Mirnenko added that this collaboration is not only about military-technical and technological advancements but also about the overall development of military science as a vital field of knowledge concerning the laws and nature of war, preparation of the armed forces and the state for war, and the methods of conducting it.

It is important to note that the NATO Science and Technology Organization (STO) is a subsidiary body of the Alliance, created to meet the scientific and technical needs of NATO and its partners through the exchange of knowledge, innovations, and developments.

Additionally, the Ministry of Defense is participating in a NATO project aimed at developing technologies to ensure the reliable operation of small power grids using renewable energy sources.

Moreover, the decision has been made to establish the Joint Ukraine-NATO Analysis, Training, and Exercise Center (JATEC), which will serve as a crucial pillar of practical cooperation. JATEC will focus on identifying and applying lessons from Russia's war against Ukraine and enhancing Ukraine's interoperability with NATO.

It is also worth mentioning that the majority of Ukrainians support Ukraine's membership in the European Union and NATO, with accession to the North Atlantic Alliance being a higher priority.