Head of Ukrainian mission to NATO: Alliance not ready to invite Ukraine into Enhanced Opportunities Program
NATO is not yet ready to invite Ukraine to the Enhanced Opportunities Partners Program, as stated by Vadym Prystaiko, the head of the mission of Ukraine to NATO, in an interview with Ukrinform.
“Is NATO ready to invite Ukraine into this program? No. The three-year review of the program’s effectiveness was completed six months ago. All five participants – Australia, Finland, Georgia, Jordan and Sweden – are invited to participate in its future work. We are in negotiations about this. I do not think that this will be completed by the summit,” Prystaiko said.
He noted that this program today provides a platform for NATO partners to unite – partners who, for various reasons, are not allies, but are willing to work closely, often in technical matters, joint operations, and exercises.
“In other words, this program does not represent a ‘breakthrough’ or even a mechanism for Euro-Atlantic integration. And although Ukraine readily participates in all formats of interaction, we should also appreciate our closeness with the Alliance, which gives us the status of Special Partner; that is our country’s position relative to the Alliance,” the diplomat said.
In October 2017, Prystaiko surmised that the Ukrainian application for joining the program would be supported by the current NATO summit.