28.07.2016.

Minister of Defence meets Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine

Defence Minister Zoran Djordjevic has met today with Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze, Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration.

Full EU membership is the key foreign policy priority of the Republic of Serbia, with simultaneous excellent relations with all partners both in the East and the West, Djordjevic pointed out during the talks. He added that Serbia will continue to pursue an independent foreign policy based on the "four pillars", which include further development and strengthening of relations with key organizations and countries – the European Union, the Russian Federation, the United States and the PR of China, as well as with the countries in the region.

Djordjevic and Tsintsadze talked about the current security challenges, especially about

new actualization of migrant crisis faced by all European countries which requires new, comprehensive and quick ways of solving. In this sense, Serbia will continue to provide generous and selfless help, with concurrent and unwavering protection of its national interests. The Minister informed his interlocutor about the activities of joint military and police forces that are engaged in the protection of the state border to prevent illegal crossings of migrants and to combat human trafficking.

Minister Djordjevic expressed his gratitude to the Ukrainian side for supporting our principled position that all questions on the territory of our southern province should be resolved through peaceful and diplomatic means in order to ensure a better life for all citizens in Kosovo and Metohija, which is contributed to also by the professional engagement of the Ukrainian contingent within the composition of KFOR.

When it comes to the field of defence, Serbia actively cooperates with more than 60 countries in the world with which we have signed agreements on bilateral military cooperation. International cooperation in the field of defence is in accordance with the military neutrality policy of our country, Djordjevic said adding that our active participation in the Partnership for Peace programme contributes significantly to increasing the level of interoperability and increasing operational and functional capabilities of the Serbian Armed Forces.

Pointing out the results achieved by the Republic of Serbia in the field of gender equality and the execution of the action plan for the implementation of UNSC Resolution 1325, the Minister has proposed conducting expert talks and aid in defining the Ukrainian Action Plan and other instruments for defining and promoting gender equality and women's position in the defence and security sector.

The interlocutors agreed that there is room for the enhancement of cooperation in other areas as well, and that these options will be used as soon as the conditions are created, or their legal framework defined and institutionalised.