Ukraine to move toward strong contracted army - Shmyhal

After the victory, Ukraine should move to a strong contracted army and at the same time give everyone the opportunity to acquire knowledge and skills that will help defend the country if the enemy attacks again.

Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said this at a government meeting on Tuesday, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"After our victory, we should move to a strong contracted army and at the same time give everyone the opportunity to gain knowledge and skills that will help defend the country if the enemy attacks again," Shmyhal said.

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According to him, the Ukrainian Army is moving to NATO standards directly on the battlefield. It already employs NATO principles of strategic planning, education, training of personnel and units, as well as warfare. Thanks to this, Ukraine’s forces not only restrain the enemy, but also liberate Russian-captured territories.

"Another NATO summit will be held in Vilnius in July. We are preparing for it now. We strive to secure Ukraine's place in the Transatlantic security system," the head of government added.

Shmyhal also noted that this year Ukraine pursues its path to the European Union. It has already received the status of a candidate state for EU membership, five "visa-free" agreements with the European Union, and has fulfilled almost 70% of the Association Agreement.

"In 2023, we aim to start negotiations on EU membership. To this end, we will develop a position regarding all 35 chapters of the future Membership Agreement. We will prepare a delegation of expert negotiators who will bring us closer to our goal," the Prime Minister said.

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He noted that the first important challenge this year is the holding of the Ukraine-EU Summit in early February. "The fact that it will be hosted in Kyiv sends an important signal to Ukraine and the whole world. This is the signal that we are not alone in countering aggression and are confidently moving toward our joint victory over the enemy," Shmyhal said.

As reported, the next Ukraine-EU summit will be held in Kyiv on February 3, 2023.

Photo: Government portal