Ukraine: Kiev to strengthen NATO ties with new army

By Gozde Bayar and Davut Demircan

ANKARA (AA) - Ukraine continues to deepen cooperation with NATO, building a new army in accordance with the alliance's standards, the commander of the Ukrainian Navy said on Monday.

Marking the 28th anniversary of the Ukraine Armed Forces Day, the Ukrainian Embassy in Turkey hosted a reception in the capital Ankara.

Turkey's deputy minister of defense and navy commander attended the event, along with the Ukrainian naval chief, ambassadors and military attaches of various foreign countries.

Ukraine has been celebrating its Armed Forces Day every year on Dec. 6 to mark the founding of its army, navy and air force after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991.

"Now, in extremely difficult conditions, Ukraine is creating modern, combat-ready, professional and equipped armed forces," said Commander of the Ukrainian Navy Ihor Voronchenko.

Voronchenko said they welcomed the return of Ukrainian naval sailors who had been held by Russia last year.

"Ukrainians never leave their compatriots. The life and freedom of the defenders of Ukraine is our absolute priority," he stressed.

He went on to say that millions of Ukrainians, who sincerely want their children to live in a free, independent state, place their hope in the armed forces.

"The strength and power of the Ukrainian state is in the unity of the army and people," he added.

Voronchenko also thanked Turkey to for its "unchanged position in supporting the sovereignty and territorial integrity" of his country.

Ukrainian Ambassador to Turkey Andrii Sybiha said for his part that the army was the most trusted among state institutions.

Sybiha underlined that the army managed to stand against Russian aggression in occupied regions of Crimea, Donbass and south and east Ukraine.

He asserted that Russia was able to attack Ukraine and Georgia because NATO failed to invite the two nations into the alliance.

"NATO should focus more on the Black Sea region," said Sybiha, reiterating that the region was safe thanks to the presence of the alliance and Turkey.

NATO and Moscow remain divided over a number of issues, including separatists along Ukraine's border with Russia, the illegal annexation of the Crimean Peninsula and Russian interference in Western elections.

Russia, Ukraine have been at loggerheads since 2014, when Russia annexed Ukraine's Crimea Peninsula after a controversial referendum.

Turkey, as well as the UN General Assembly, views the annexation as illegal.

Ukraine has also blamed Kremlin for separatist violence in Donbass, eastern Ukraine, near the border with Russia.

Tbilisi fought a five-day war with Russia in 2008 over Georgia’s breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

Georgia lost control of both areas, and Russia later recognized them as independent states.