РНБОУ National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine

Mykhailo Koval: Ukraine is sharing experience gained while countering the Russian hybrid troops in Donbas with NATO member states

During the conflict in Donbas, Ukraine has gained practical experience which it is already sharing with NATO member countries. This was stated by First Deputy Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Mykhailo Koval during the 10th Kyiv Security Forum.

«Ukraine as a state, the Armed Forces of Ukraine and other forces responsible for the security of our state have gained huge experience which we are already sharing with other countries, primarily with the Alliance members», - Mykhailo Koval said.

He reminded that in 2014, after the annexation of the Crimea, Ukraine virtually alone faced Russia in Donbas. «And this is a problem for the whole world as for the first time since the Second World War redistribution of borders began in Europe», - First Deputy Secretary of the NSDC of Ukraine added.

Mykhailo Koval also stated that apart from the US and Great Britain it was Russia who was to guarantee security to Ukraine under the Budapest Memorandum; on the contrary, Russia unleashed a hybrid war against Ukraine. «The country who was one of the three guarantors of our security became an aggressor against our state. We remember who signed the Budapest Memorandum - the US, Great Britain and Russia. But instead of ensuring our security this country went to war against us», - he noticed.

Answering the question on how Ukraine is countering Russian aggression Mykhailo Koval pointed out that Ukraine has learned to repel the attacks of the enemy and confront him. «The main achievement is that we not only stopped the enemy. The main point is that in 2016, Ukrainian Armed Forces did not cede a single centimeter of our land», - First Deputy Secretary of the NSDC explained.