Ukraine hopes for NATO support in monitoring air situation along border with Russia

Ukraine counts on NATO’s support in monitoring air situation along the border with Russia and proposes to use the airspace in the Simferopol flight information region (FIR) for NATO air operations.

Ukrainian Infrastructure Minister Vladyslav Kryklii said this during talks with NATO Assistant Secretary General for Defence Policy and Planning Patrick Turner on Wednesday, Ukrinform reports with reference to the Infrastructure Ministry's Facebook page.

“Ukraine adheres to the chosen course of integration into the Euro-Atlantic systems of collective security. One of the important areas of such integration is Ukraine's participation in the NATO Air Situation Data Exchange (ASDE) programme. In modern conditions, it is important to strengthen control of civil air traffic and respond to crisis situations in the Black Sea region and the ATO zone. Taking into account the updated EASA bulletin on flight safety in the Simferopol FIR and the abolition of the US Federal Aviation Administration restrictions on flights in the Simferopol FIR, we propose to use this part of the airspace for NATO air operations to transport troops, equipment, cargo and the like. We hope for NATO's support in monitoring air situation along the border with Russia,” Kryklii said.

The meeting took place during the visit of a government delegation to Brussels.

As reported, a Ukrainian government delegation headed by Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal began a working visit to Brussels on February 9. Shmyhal met with European Council President Charles Michel and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg to discuss a number of important issues.

On February 11, Shmyhal will take part in the seventh meeting of the EU-Ukraine Association Council in Brussels.

ish