National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine
The NSDC of Ukraine has adopted the main parameters of the defense budget for 2019
At the meeting on September 6, 2018, the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine considered:
- the indicators of the State Budget for 2019 on articles related to ensuring the national security and defense of Ukraine;
- urgent measures to protect the national interests of Ukraine in the southern regions of Ukraine, the Black Sea, the Sea of Azov, and the Kerch Strait;
- the issue of non-prolongation of the Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation, and Partnership between Ukraine and the Russian Federation;
- project hazard for nuclear facilities, nuclear materials, radioactive waste and other sources of ionizing radiation in Ukraine.
As a result of the discussion, the NSDC of Ukraine adopted the main parameters of the defense budget for 2019. In general, over 5% of GDP will be directed to the needs of the security and defense sector of Ukraine. "As instructed by the President of Ukraine, one of the key priorities of the next year's budget is a significant increase in the monetary support of military servicemen", - Secretary of the NSDC of Ukraine Oleksandr Turchynov commented.
According to him, among the priority areas of financing for the next year, it is planned to implement measures for the development, preparation of production and procurement of new types of weapons and military equipment, in particular, modern high-precision missile weapons (missile systems and complexes, particularly, cruise missiles); strengthening the state air defense system and capabilities of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine; implementation of state policy in the cyber security sphere, measures for the development and modernization of special communication and information security; implementation of the National Intelligence Program for 2016-2020; strengthening counter-intelligence, counter-terrorism and anti-sabotage activities, etc.
The NSDC of Ukraine approved a set of measures aimed at protecting national interests in the southern regions, waters of the Azov and Black Seas. In particular, this refers to strengthening the naval presence in the Sea of Azov, creating a ship-naval grouping of the Naval Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, building up the relevant infrastructure, providing coastal defense units with modern high-precision missile weapons, etc.
The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has also been assigned to:
- immediately approve the Maritime Doctrine of Ukraine and improve the legal framework for the protection of national interests in the waters of the Azov and Black Seas;
- work out a common position of our state and international partners on countering technogenic disaster, which is spreading in the occupied territory of the northern Crimea and to ensure measures to counteract its spread to the southern part of mainland Ukraine.
The NSDC of Ukraine supported the proposal of the President of Ukraine regarding the non-prolongation of the Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation, and Partnership between Ukraine and the Russian Federation for the next 10 years.
The Council also adopted a decision to secure the reliable protection of nuclear facilities, nuclear materials, radioactive waste and other sources of ionizing radiation in Ukraine.