Aleksey Reznikov/press service of the Ministry of Defense

Defense Minister Alexei Reznikov recalled what goals he had back in the fall of 2021 during his appointment to the post of Defense Minister. Then he noted that one of the priorities to do is de facto integration of Ukraine into NATO.

Oleksiy Reznikov said that for a long time they had been convincing their partners that in order to support Ukraine, Western-made weapons that meet NATO standards should be provided.

According to him, the transition to Western calibers and equipment has finally been accepted. In particular, Ukraine is already receiving 155 mm artillery. Gradually, this will ensure the full interaction of the Ukrainian army with the armies of NATO countries, which will significantly strengthen the eastern flank of the Alliance.

I will not hide the fact that even 3 months ago this task was considered almost impossible. But thanks to the courage and professionalism of the Ukrainian soldiers, the resilience of the Ukrainian people, everything has changed,” Oleksiy Reznikov said.

He noted that a huge joint work has been done, which will provide Ukraine with strategic advantages.

The Minister of Defense explained that “transition”, that is, “transition” was the key word of the meeting in Ramstein. The transition that began more than 30 years ago and is now approaching its final phase.

“It was not only about the supply of weapons and ammunition. We talked a lot about the production of weapons and military equipment, the place of Ukraine in these processes. After all, this is the basis of long-term cooperation, interaction and interoperability not only of the Armed Forces, but also of the defense industry,” Oleksiy Reznikov said.

Despite this, he added that Ukraine is still interested in obtaining equipment and weapons of the Soviet samples to quickly strengthen the army.