On Tuesday, March 5, in Bydgoszcz, Poland, the first meeting of the project team for the launch of JATEC (NATO-Ukraine Joint Analysis, Training and Education Centre) took place - the first joint institution of the Alliance and Ukraine.
On the occasion of the first meeting, Vice Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine Olha Stefanishyna addressed the participants. She expressed gratitude to everyone who joined this ambitious project, as well as to the Polish side for deciding to host this important initiative on its territory.
"I am happy to welcome the first event of the project team, which will fill this new platform with working mechanisms, content, and joint actions. We consider the Center, along with the mechanisms of the Ukraine-NATO Council, as an additional structural element for our integration into the Alliance. Therefore, it is very important for JATEC to be an effective institution, legally and practically integrated into the broader NATO structure," emphasized the Vice Prime Minister in her video address.
She stressed that since JATEC as a multi-year program is an important component of the NATO Comprehensive Assistance Package, it is necessary to ensure proper resource support for the Center's work to achieve the ambitious goals set by the project initiators.
From a practical point of view, Olha Stefanishyna urged the project team to focus on relevant issues that will contribute to finding effective solutions in the field of security and defense, particularly in the context of ongoing Russian aggression.
"Any practical knowledge and experience that can help us protect people and ensure our own security, whether on land, in the air, at sea, or in cyberspace, will be useful to Ukraine. And the Center we are launching is a platform for constant dialogue, knowledge exchange, and expertise, as well as joint search for solutions," noted the Vice Prime Minister.
The decision to launch JATEC was made following the meeting of the Ukraine-NATO Council at the level of defense ministers on February 15, 2024.
The tasks of the Center will include:
- Joint analysis and synthesis of experience in the field of defense and security.
- Improvement of the training system and military education.
- Facilitation of interoperability enhancement.
- Development of capabilities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The Center's work is aimed at achieving full interoperability between the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the forces of NATO countries.
