The chair of NATO’s Military Committee, Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, visited Ukraine with his EU counterpart General Seán Clancy from 21 to 24 April and attended the 18th annual Kyiv Security Forum.
NATO described the trip by the heads of the NATO and EU military committees as a joint visit signalling continued support for Ukraine’s ability to defend itself against Russia’s full-scale invasion, the alliance press service reported.
In Kyiv, Cavo Dragone met Ukrainian political and military officials including deputy foreign minister Olexandr Mischenko, deputy defence minister Lieutenant General Yevhen Moisiuk, deputy prime minister for European and Euro-Atlantic integration Taras Kachka, and parliament speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk.
He also met Ukraine’s armed forces chief, General Oleksandr Syrsky, and was briefed — alongside Clancy — on developments in the conflict.
Cavo Dragone praised Ukraine’s “bravery and resilience” after what NATO described as one of the country’s harshest winters, during which it said Ukrainians endured Russian attacks on the energy grid and civilian infrastructure.
Kyiv Security Forum appearance
Cavo Dragone took part in the Kyiv Security Forum on 23 and 24 April, which NATO said was held under the theme “Darkness or Dawn: Is light ahead?”.
In a panel titled “One for All or Illusions of Security?”, he said Ukrainians “still reject the idea that insecurity can be traded for peace.”
Ukraine was also “providing valuable lessons-learned on modern warfare”, including countering drones and missile threats, he said.
