Ukraine is ready to share combat experience with NATO – Deputy Minister of Defence Serhii Melnyk at NRFC and CIOR meeting

The Ukrainian delegation, led by the Deputy Minister of Defence of Ukraine, Brigadier General of Justice Serhii Melnyk, participated in a meeting of the NATO National Reserve Forces Committee (NRFC) and the Interallied Confederation of Reserve Officers (CIOR).

During the meeting, the Ukrainian delegation presented Ukraine’s unique experience in organizing defense, as well as staffing and training reserve forces in the context of full-scale war.

“Our objective is to ensure the Ukrainian military meets the highest standards and maintains effective interoperability with NATO forces,” emphasized Serhii Melnyk.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, in his address, highly commended Ukraine’s efforts in Reserve Force formation and the development of a national resistance framework.

The key topics of the meeting included enhancing cooperation between Ukraine and NATO in Reserve Force development, exchanging expertise in reservist training and defense organization, and exploring opportunities to integrate Ukrainian approaches into the Alliance's defense planning framework.

“Cooperation with CIOR and NRFC is essential to enhancing Ukraine’s defense framework and aligning it with NATO’s defense standards. We also possess our own unique combat experience, which we are prepared to share. We’re talking not about theoretical approaches but real cases forged in the fires of war,” emphasized Serhii Melnyk.

The Ukrainian side also expressed its readiness to deepen cooperation with other NATO structures, specifically the Interallied Confederation of Medical Reserve Officers (CIOMR) and the Interallied Confederation of Reserve Non-commissioned Officers (CISOR).

Reference information:

The NATO National Reserve Forces Committee (NRFC) is an integral part of the Alliance's military structure. It is responsible for the operational integration of reserves into NATO forces, as well as strategic planning and management of reservists.

The Interallied Confederation of Reserve Officers (CIOR) represents the interests of more than 1.3 million reservists from NATO member states. It is affiliated with the Alliance and plays an advisory role.