Kyiv, 8 February 2025
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with the Chair of the NATO Military Committee, Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, who made his first foreign visit in this position specifically to Ukraine.
“We are grateful to NATO for its support of Ukraine from the very beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion. Thank you very much for your first mission and decision to be in Ukraine. Thank you very much. This is a very strong signal for us from NATO and professionals,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
The main topics of the meeting were preparations for the next meeting in the Ramstein format and our state’s defense needs. The President noted that one of Ukraine’s top priorities was the implementation of the agreements reached at the NATO Summit in Washington on strengthening Ukraine’s air defense. The Russian dictator does not want the war to end, and only Ukraine’s strong position and pressure on Russia can force the aggressor state to establish a just and lasting peace.
Special attention was paid to the operational launch of the NSATU mission “Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine.” According to Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukraine is counting on concrete results of its work, in particular, on strengthening coordination in military assistance.
The Chair of the NATO Military Committee assured that the North Atlantic Alliance is ready to fulfill all its commitments, as it considers Ukraine an integral part of the transatlantic defense architecture.
“The message I would like to convey not only to you, but to everyone, is that NATO is on your side. We are determined to fulfill all our commitments and to defend all the values and principles that we share,” he added.
In addition, Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Giuseppe Cavo Dragone discussed the continued military assistance from NATO member states and direct investment in the domestic production of long-range drones based on the Danish model. At one of the defense industry enterprises, they got acquainted with the production capacities and characteristics of Ukrainian long-range weapons and spoke with the people working there.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked the employees for their service to the state and for their work, which every day brings tangible results and strengthens our army with domestically produced weapons; he also presented them with state awards.
“Thank you for your work. It’s very gratifying to see that we have something to show, and it’s not theoretical – it’s your tangible result. A real result that helps us and is feared by the Russians, the enemies of our state. It’s a great pleasure to be here with our NATO colleagues. It’s truly rewarding when they see the high level of achievement Ukraine has reached during this war. The level of domestic production during wartime is exceptionally high,” the President said.
Source – Ukrainian President
Chair of the NATO Military Committee visits Ukraine
Last updated: 10 Feb. 2025
On 07 and 08 February 2025, the Chair of the NATO Military Committee Admiral Cavo Dragone paid a visit to Ukraine. This is the first official foreign visit undertaken in the Chairman’s new position. This visit underscores the NATO Military Authorities’ unfettered support to Ukraine.
On Friday, 07 February 2025, Admiral Cavo Dragone visited a military hospital in Kyiv and met with Ukrainian soldiers injured on the front lines. He also met with the Chair of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Mr Ruslan Stefanchuk, as well as the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Andriy Sybiha.
On Saturday, 08 February, the Chairman held meetings with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, General Oleksandr Syrsky, and the Minister of Defence, Mr Rustem Umerov. He was accompanied in his engagements by Mr Patrick Turner, the Head of NATO’s Representation in Ukraine. The Chairman also paid a visit to a Ukrainian weapons factory to review the capacities and characteristics of Ukraine’s long-range weaponry.
Admiral Cavo Dragone underscored: “It is in the political and military interest of the Alliance to support Ukraine, not only now, but also in the future. You are fighting not only for your nation. You are fighting for your identity. NATO stands with you. Our support for your sovereignty and territorial integrity will remain unwavering;” “together, we can put Ukraine in the strongest possible position moving forward.”
The Chairman also noted the creation of the NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine (NSATU) command in Wiesbaden, Germany and the establishment of the NATO-Ukraine Joint Analysis, Training and Education Center (JATEC) in Bydgoszcz, Poland, which aims to jointly identify and incorporate the lessons learned from Russia’s brutal war of aggression. “These lessons will help shape our understanding of warfare. They will be woven into NATO strategy and policy and will bolster interoperability. Above all, they support Ukraine in winning the war and maintaining its sovereignty”. The Chairman expressed that he was deeply impressed by the determination and energy of the Ukrainian people, and emphasised Ukraine’s courageous and resilient spirit remains unbreakable.
Source – NATO