Ukraine is interested in developing cooperation with NATO in the field of humanitarian demining, particularly through the implementation of joint projects with the Alliance.
This was stated by Deputy Minister of Economy, Environment, and Agriculture Ihor Bezkaravainyi during a visit to Brussels to participate in the Defense and Security Sector Committee within the framework of the Ukraine–NATO Council. As part of the visit, a bilateral meeting took place with the Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary General of NATO, Piers Cazalet.
“Ukraine has unique expertise in humanitarian demining, and joint programs with countries facing similar challenges are an opportunity both to expand our own expertise and to share it with partners. This is not a linear transfer of experience, but an adaptation to national specifics, capacities, and so on. I believe that Ukraine’s experience in mine action can be useful for NATO member states and Alliance partners,” Ihor Bezkaravainyi noted.
Ukraine already has experience in trilateral cooperation involving the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Administrative Department of the President of Colombia (DAPRE), which coordinates efforts to reduce the impact of explosive devices on communities.
The possibility of implementing trilateral knowledge-exchange projects was also discussed by Ihor Bezkaravainyi with the Director General for Multilateral Affairs at the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Véronique Petit. Such an approach helps build long-term national capacity in mine-affected countries rather than relying solely on external stakeholders.
