Ukraine is actively participating in NATO's Science for Peace and Security Program. This is not a military science program. Nor can it be said that this program funds research. Its purpose is to facilitate the cooperation of scientists from different countries in civil aspects.
Ukraine was also the first among the Partner countries to start providing financial support to Ukrainian scientists who received NATO grants, both from scientific institutions of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine and from higher education institutions (albeit in smaller numbers according to the approved NATO grants).
Ukraine's initiative for additional support has become and remains an important indicator of the importance for Ukraine of scientific cooperation under both the former NATO Science Program and the current NATO Science for Peace and Security Programs. A key mechanism for ensuring coordination and interaction between science and environmental cooperation is the NATO-Ukraine Joint Working Group on Science and Environment Cooperation (AWG) (established in 2000).
During 1998-2013, 27 joint multi-year projects with the participation of Ukrainian research institutions were implemented within the framework of NATO's Science for Peace and Security program.
In 2014, in connection with the reorganization of the State Agency for Science, Innovation and Informatization of Ukraine, which was entrusted with the functions of implementing state policy in the field of scientific, scientific-technical and innovative activities, Ukraine ceased its activities within the AWG. However, the work was resumed the following year. In 2015, the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine took over responsibility for cooperation with NATO in the field of science, with the Deputy Minister co-chairing the AWG.
As of today, Ukraine ranks first among the Alliance's partner countries in the number of research projects and the amount of their funding under the NZMB Program.
