Turkey supports the Ukrainian initiative to create a joint commission on defense cooperation, the press service of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry reported following a Wednesday meeting at NATO headquarters between Ukraine’s defense chief Andriy Zagorodniuk and his Turkish counterpart, Hulusi Akar, the Unian news website reported.
Zagorodniuk noted the intensification of military cooperation between the two countries. In particular, he recalled the signing on Feb. 3 of an agreement on defense cooperation during an official visit to Ukraine of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Another important aspect of the discussion was the initiative of the Ukrainian side to create a joint commission on defense cooperation, which the Turkish partners fully supported.
Among other the prospects for defense cooperation, the parties also focused on the possibility of enhancing security cooperation in the Black Sea region and enhancing air defense capabilities within the framework of joint participation in the NATO program (Air Situation Data Exchange) with the Turkish Armed Forces as well as participation in joint exercises and intensification of dialogue at the level of the naval forces.
At the end of the meeting, representatives of the Turkish delegation noted their support for Ukraine within internationally recognized borders and non-recognition of Russia’s occupation of the Crimean peninsula.