A new Military doctrine of Ukraine, for the first time ever, clearly differentiates an enemy and an aggressor, which is the Russian Federation

The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has recently approved a new Military doctrine of Ukraine. The draft doctrine for the first time in the history of independence clearly determines an enemy and an aggressor, which is the Russian Federation, said Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk on Tuesday, September 1, in Odessa, where the Head of Government took part in opening of a multinational military exercise Sea Breeze 2015.

He noted that the new draft Military doctrine had been submitted for consideration to the National Defence and Security Council: "The President will sign the corresponding decree".

In the framework of Sea Breeze 2015 opening, Arseniy Yatsenyuk together with Minister of Defence of Ukraine Stepan Poltorak, Vice Admiral James Foggo, Commander of the U.S. 6th Fleet and Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador Jeffrey Pyatt visited a frigate of the Navy of Ukraine the Hetman Sahaidachny and a guided-missile destroyer USS Donald Cook, which are to take part in the maritime exercise.

Arseniy Yatsenyuk stressed that Ukraine had embarked on urgent reforming of the Armed Forces. According to the Head of Government, among the key objectives on this way is "maintaining mutual relations between our American partners and the Ukrainian Armed Forces".

It is crucial to completely upgrade the national Armed Forces, as also the Naval Forces of Ukraine, thus enabling Ukraine to protect itself, he accentuated.

He noted that the relevant national programme envisages the construction of four corvettes.

"The Government plans funding for the following year to ensure expenditures for the national security anddefense were not lower than the budget of this year", stressed Arseniy Yatsenyuk.

The Head of Government emphasized that the military maritime exercise Sea Breeze "is another proof that the United States of America stand together with Ukraine in the issues of protecting our territorial integrity and independence".

"We set up political relations. We create personal links as well, due to such co-hosted exercise of Ukraine and the United States of America which are now underway", he added.

Arseniy Yatsenyuk explained plans for future which envisage intensification of joint activities to "turn the Black Sea into a safe area and to make the Russian Federation, which illegally annexed Crimea, realize that any illegal actions will be curbed by our joint efforts".

Moreover, the Prime Minister added: "We feel as one force with our partners -NATO participating states, with our American partners. Therefore, the American ships have entered and will enter the Ukrainian territorial waters in the future. We will continue our joint exercise the way we are doing it".

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