Kyiv, 30 December 2021
The last meeting of the National Security and Defense Council in 2021, chaired by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, was held, at which a number of issues were discussed, including the fight against external and internal threats.
Thus, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Oleksiy Danilov reported on the priority steps to ensure national security to protect from internal and external threats.
Chief of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine Kyrylo Budanov and Head of the Foreign Intelligence Service Oleksandr Lytvynenko made reports on external threats, including the situation around Ukraine’s state border and the nature of possible security challenges.
“There is a certain increase in the number of troops… We are monitoring what is happening near our border, it concerns the perimeter of 200 kilometers from our border, the next perimeter is 400 kilometers from our border,” Danilov said at a briefing following a meeting of the National Security and Defense Council.
The mechanisms of implementation of the Defense Plan of Ukraine were also discussed at the meeting of the National Security and Defense Council with Minister of Defense Oleksiy Reznikov reporting on the issue. Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valeriy Zaluzhny, for his part, reported on the readiness of the Armed Forces to perform its assigned tasks.
Deputy Foreign Minister Mykola Tochytsky spoke about possible steps taken by Ukraine’s international partners in the event of an aggravation of the situation near Ukraine’s borders.
Head of the Security Service of Ukraine Ivan Bakanov and Minister of Internal Affairs Denys Monastyrsky reported on the issue of counteracting the destabilization of the situation in our country. The interior minister also reported on the results of the review of public security and civil protection, and the head of the Security Service of Ukraine reported on the strategy of ensuring state security.
The plan to implement the Cybersecurity Strategy, which envisages making steps to strengthen the state’s cyber security, was approved. Deputy Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Serhiy Demediuk made a report.
In addition, the National Security and Defense Council heard a report by Director of the National Institute for Strategic Studies Oleksandr Bohomolov on scientifically sound proposals to counter external threats.
Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal reported on the application of restrictive measures against persons who carry out illegal court proceedings in the temporarily occupied Crimea against the citizens of Ukraine.
The issue of applying sanctions to six individuals and 24 companies involved in the construction of the Kerch Bridge was also considered.
The National Security and Defense Council reviewed reports on decisions against smugglers. According to Danilov, sanctions against these people made it possible to attract an additional UAH 71 billion to the budget.
The Prime Minister and Minister of Energy Herman Haluschenko reported on the situation in the energy sector.
“We are now receiving coal for our combined heat and power plants by sea. Today, the situation is under control. We do not see that there may be any problems, but coal must be purchased,” the secretary of the National Security and Defense Council said.
The National Security and Defense Council also heard a report from Health Minister Viktor Liashko on the spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant in Ukraine. The President reiterated the importance of vaccination.
“According to our forecasts, in February we can have Omicron variant in quite large quantities, so we need to be vaccinated,” Danilov said.
Minister of Justice Denys Maliuska also spoke about the roadmap for implementing the law of Ukraine on oligarchs. According to the forecasts of the secretary of the National Security and Defense Council, at the end of May 2022 the National Security and Defense Council may determine the first oligarchs, in accordance with Ukrainian law.
In addition, at the meeting of the National Security and Defense Council, the President proposed a number of protocol instructions, including housing for servicemen and veterans, equalization of military salaries during the month and the possibility of synchronizing sanctions with Ukraine’s international partners.
The National Security and Defense Council also supported the instructions of the Cabinet of Ministers to establish an interagency working group to verify the supply of weapons and food to the Armed Forces in the period of 2017-2021.
At the end of the meeting, Danilov reported on the results of the work of the National Security and Defense Council in 2021. According to him, a total of 36 meetings were held, at which 150 issues were considered and after which 90 president’s decrees were issued.