Parliamentary dimension of Ukraine's cooperation with NATO

In the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, Ukraine is represented by the Permanent Delegation of the Verkhovna Rada, which has had the status of an associate member since May 1992. Members of the Permanent Delegation of the Verkhovna Rada annually take part in NATO PA sessions, which usually take place in spring and autumn.

The role of the Assembly in the development of relations with the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine is defined in the 1997 Charter on a Special Partnership, which calls for enhanced dialogue and cooperation between the Parliamentary Assembly and the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. Particular attention is paid to helping to achieve the main goal of the PfP - the introduction of democratic control over the armed forces. At the same time, the Assembly complements the work of the Alliance in the framework of the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC) and the Partnership for Peace (PfP). The purpose of such activities of the NATO PA is to provide information and recommendations that will help the parliaments of Partner countries to more effectively influence the development of defense policy in their countries and ensure real democratic control over their armed forces.

The basic normative normative document in the sphere of Ukraine-NATO cooperation was the Resolution of the Verkhovna Rada of November 21, 2002 "On Recommendations of Parliamentary Hearings on Ukraine's Relations and Cooperation with NATO", in which the Verkhovna Rada expressed its support for Ukraine's acquisition. full membership in NATO.

In 2005, at the initiative of the Ukrainian side, the heads of the permanent delegations of Ukraine, Georgia and Azerbaijan signed a Declaration on Joint Action in the Field of Euro-Atlantic Integration.

Parliamentary control over the implementation of the Euro-Atlantic integration strategy is exercised by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine both independently and jointly with the NATO PA. At the bilateral level, such control was ensured by the Joint Monitoring Group between the Verkhovna Rada and the NATO PA, established in November 2000 in accordance with the provisions of the Charter on a Special Partnership between Ukraine and NATO. In March 2003, the group was reorganized into the NATO-Ukraine Interparliamentary Council. The main task of the Council is parliamentary assistance in the proper implementation of the Annual National Program, as well as analysis of its implementation. Meetings of the Interparliamentary Council are held twice a year, alternately in Brussels and Kyiv.

The NATO PA, together with other Allied entities and the Geneva Center for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces, is organizing a series of seminars for Ukrainian parliamentarians on various aspects of civilian control of the armed forces.

An important information component of NATO PA cooperation is the Rose-Roth program, which aims to inform the public and NATO Partner countries about the Alliance's goals and activities through seminars, conferences and other forums. The main task of the program is to hold seminars, conferences and other forums related to the problems of Central and Eastern Europe. As a rule, the subject of these measures concerns the civil-military aspects of cooperation, in particular, democratic control over the armed forces both within the Alliance and in relations with Partner countries. The purpose of the seminars and conferences is to inform their participants about the need to involve parliaments in the processes of defense planning, budgeting and reform of the armed forces.

Another component of the program is the involvement of experts from Central and Eastern Europe to work in the International Secretariat of the Assembly. To this end, general education and information programs are held annually for the staff of the secretariats of the national parliaments of these countries. Political dialogue at the parliamentary level covers quite topical issues of the NATO-Ukraine cooperation agenda, in particular, the role and place of Ukraine in the modern European security system, regional security, cooperation in defense and military reform, emergency response, strengthening democratic electoral institutions, rule of law, etc.

Today, Ukraine's parliamentary cooperation with NATO is developing dynamically, as evidenced by active contacts between the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and NATO at a high level during bilateral visits, regular participation of the Permanent Delegation of the Verkhovna Rada in NATO PA activities, activities of the Interparliamentary Council. NATO-Ukraine, organization of NATO-Ukraine parliamentary round tables, etc.

At the plenary session of the NATO PA Spring Session in Vilnius on May 30, 2014, the "Declaration in Support of Ukraine" was unanimously adopted. This document became the basis for NATO PA Resolution 11411 in support of Ukraine's sovereignty and democracy, which was approved at the plenary session of the NATO PA Autumn Session in The Hague (November 24, 2014). The declaration became one of the strongest public statements of the international community in support of Ukraine and condemning the aggression of the Russian Federation, its invasion of the sovereign territory of our state, the occupation of eastern territories and the illegal annexation of Crimea.

During the spring session of the NATO PA in Budapest in 2015, the NATO PA approved the Declaration on NATO Enlargement, which recognized Ukraine's resumption of Euro-Atlantic integration and called on the Ukrainian Government and Parliament to make every effort to reform our country in accordance with democratic standards. Euro-Atlantic standards. At the autumn session of 2015 in Stavanger (Norway), the NATO PA approved a resolution "On Solidarity with Ukraine".

The delegation of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine headed by the Deputy Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada RV Koshulynsky took part in the sitting of the Standing Committee of the NATO PA (April 4-6, 2014, Riga). As a rule, representatives of non-NATO countries are not invited to the meeting of the NATO PA Standing Committee. At the same time, in view of the beginning of the Russian military aggression against Ukraine, the leadership of the Assembly decided to include in the agenda a discussion of the situation in our country and invite Ukrainian representatives to it.

The NATO PA leadership has repeatedly stated in its statements that it has consistently supported Ukraine's territorial integrity, independence, sovereignty and desire to pursue democratic reforms. Condemnation of Russia's aggressive policy towards our country, illegal annexation of Crimea, as well as calls for tougher sanctions from the EU and NATO were the main signals in the speeches of high-ranking NATO PA officials.

In order to further demonstrate the support of our country, including its European integration aspirations, after the signing of the Association Agreement with the EU, a NATO PA delegation led by its President H. Bailey visited Ukraine (July 24, 2014) and met with Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine OV Turchynov and Prime Minister of Ukraine AP Yatsenyuk.

The readiness to continue the active dialogue with the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, the unwavering support of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly for the territorial integrity of Ukraine, its political independence and democratic development was also expressed by NATO President Michael Turner M. Turner paid his first foreign visit as President of the NATO PA to Kyiv on December 15-16, 2014. In November 2018, at the annual session of the Assembly in Halifax, Madeleine Moon, a British MP, was elected the new President of the NATO PA.

Members of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly participate in monitoring the elections in Ukraine as international observers.

On October 9, 2017, during the plenary session of the Assembly, the resolution "Stability and Security in the Black Sea" was approved, prepared by the Special Rapporteur W. Schmidt, Committee on Civilian Security Measurement. The document emphasizes, among other things, that the Assembly will promote political decisions concerning further steps towards the implementation of the decisions of the 2008 Bucharest Summit.

In addition, the NATO PA has accepted the proposal of the Ukrainian side and for the first time on May 22-25, Ukraine will host the annual Spring Session of the NATO PA 2020.