Government Approves Ukraine-NATO Draft Annual National Program
The government of Ukraine has approved the draft Annual National Program (ANP) for 2024. The draft program will be submitted to NATO. The Ukrainian government reported on this on its website.
The main goal of the ANP is to prepare Ukraine for membership in the Alliance by improving its defense capabilities as a future ally. It is reported that all the changes were developed considering the conditions of a full-scale Russian invasion. "The adapted ANP is as concise and practical as possible, focused on reforms in the security and defense sectors.
In the area of democratic transformation, there is a clear reference to the tasks that Ukraine is fulfilling on the path of European integration. We have done a good job internally, as well as thoroughly consulted with NATO Headquarters," said Olha Stefanishyna, Head of the Commission for the Coordination of Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine, Vice Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. Photo credits: Office of the President
She added that Ukraine's allies positively assessed the approach taken by Ukraine and provided generalized recommendations for the project, which the Commission took into account.
The draft ANP will be presented to the allies on November 29, 2023, at a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council at the level of foreign ministers. It contains five basic sections: political and economic issues, defense and military issues, resource issues, security issues, and legal issues. The measures identified also correlate with the Women, Peace and Security agenda.
In terms of political reforms, including the transformation of public administration, increasing transparency, and promoting an inclusive political process, the ANP is coordinated and harmonized with the reform agenda of the Government of Ukraine to start accession negotiations with the EU, as well as to implement the recommendations of the Group of Seven (G7), the International Monetary Fund, the Council of Europe, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and other partners. Thus, the focus of the ANP for 2024 is on strengthening the defense capabilities of the security and defense sector of Ukraine through the development of appropriate planning, management, and control systems.
Illustrative photo of the Ukrainian Armed Forces' exercises with NATO member states. Photo from open sources
Changes will be made by implementing NATO standards and best practices to achieve interoperability with the Alliance.
Key efforts will be focused on the following areas:
- effective democratic civilian control over the security and defense forces,
- ensuring integrity, transparency, and accountability in the security and defense sector,
- transformation of defense policy and planning,
- modernization of command and control systems,
- improvement of the strategic communications system,
- digital transformation, cybersecurity, information security and information exchange,
- transformation of the defense industry and introduction of modern technologies,
- resource management,
- expanding opportunities in the field of rehabilitation and reintegration of war veterans.
Illustrative photo of the NATO meeting.
Photo from open sources
Technical and advisory support projects under the NATO Annual National Program for Ukraine will contribute to the implementation of the ANP objectives.
Militarnyi previously reported that in October-November 2023, the Ministry of Defense and the Armed Forces of Ukraine introduced four more NATO standards in addition to more than 200 already adopted.