Deputy Defense Minister of Ukraine Oleksandr Balanytsia emphasized the impossibility of building a global security architecture without Ukraine's participation. He made this statement during a ministerial panel at the Warsaw Security Forum.
Most of the topics discussed at the forum, held in Poland, focused on Ukraine, particularly the vision of victory in the war, the necessity of investment in the Ukrainian defense industry, and concrete steps by partners to support Ukraine. The ministerial panel on supporting Ukraine included former Dutch Defense Minister Kajsa Ollongren, Swedish Defense Minister Pal Jonson, French Minister for Europe Benjamin Haddad, and Oleksandr Balanytsia, Ukraine’s Deputy Minister of Defense for European Integration.
"Ukraine continues to fight and is building its capabilities to counter Russian aggression. If the world wants peace, it must build a security architecture to prevent further attempts of Russian aggression. This is impossible without Ukraine because our combat experience significantly surpasses that of NATO states," said Oleksandr Balanytsia.
The Swedish Defense Minister emphasized that NATO, including Sweden, has much to learn from Ukraine—its experience in combat operations, the use of technology on the battlefield, and so on. He also agreed that Ukraine should become a member of the Alliance to enhance European security.
Panel participants noted that Ukraine is fighting for the security of Europe and making a significant contribution to building the region's defense capabilities. Investments in the Ukrainian defense industry serve as investments in a secure future.
At the conclusion of the discussion, partners raised the issue of creating a coalition that could help protect Ukraine's skies from hostile missiles and drones.