Ukraine’s current foreign policy is aimed at ensuring its national interests and security by maintaining peaceful and mutually beneficial cooperation with members of the international community in accordance with generally accepted principles and norms of international law.

For Ukraine the strategic partnership with NATO is an integral part of the European integration course, as it is part of the process of domestic transformation in the context of the implementation of the Association Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community and their Member States, of the one part, and Ukraine, of the other part.

Ukraine’s active political dialogue with the North Atlantic Alliance is ensured through bilateral contacts at all levels, including the inter-parliamentary dimension. The NATO – Ukraine Commission, established in 1997 to implement the provisions of the Charter on a Distinctive Partnership, plays a leading role in deepening this dialogue. Since 2009, in accordance with the Declaration on Amendments to the Charter, annual national programs of NATO – Ukraine cooperation have been developed under the auspices of the NATO – Ukraine Commission.

On February 7, 2019 the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted the Law of Ukraine “On Amendments to the Constitution of Ukraine” (on the strategic course of the state to gain full membership of Ukraine in the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization).

The purpose of the proposed amendments is to enshrine in the Constitution of Ukraine the civilizational choice, the European identity of the Ukrainian people and the irreversibility of the country’s strategic course towards full membership in the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

In addition, effective governance by the state and, above all, the establishment of effective mechanisms to achieve compliance with the criteria, norms and principles of the European Union and NATO play an important role in the formation and implementation of public policy in the field of Euro-Atlantic integration. At the national level, the institutional mechanism includes an extensive network of state bodies and institutions implementing state policy in the field of Euro-Atlantic integration, in particular through the implementation of annual national programs under the auspices of the NATO – Ukraine Commission.

The Annual National Program under the auspices of the NATO – Ukraine Commission (hereinafter – ANP) is a system document, which contains a description of reforms in relevant areas, defines their strategic aim, goals, priorities, necessary to ensure effective and systematic implementation of the strategic course of the Constitution of Ukraine for full membership of Ukraine in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Particular attention in the ANP for 2021 is paid to the issues of deepening cooperation with NATO in the framework of Ukraine’s status of an enhanced partner in 2020.

The Commission for the Coordination of Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine, chaired by the Vice Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine, plays a leading role in coordinating activities related to the preparation, implementation and monitoring of ANP activities. The Institute of National Coordinators of Ukraine’s Cooperation with NATO in Relevant Areas, the system of thematic interagency working groups, and a number of ad hoc working groups under the auspices of the Commission for Coordination of Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine play a significant supporting role.

The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine coordinates the activities of central executive authorities, other government authorities for the development and implementation of measures aimed at the realization of the ANP, as well as the decisions of the NATO – Ukraine Commission.

Ukraine informs NATO about the results of the ANP implementation on the regular basis.

The ANP is based on the international methodology for the development of strategic documents “Results-Based Management”, adopted in NATO member states and in many international organizations. This will allow for effective control over the achievement of the goals of domestic reforms, fixing of priority tasks for the year, as well as preparation and implementation of appropriate measures. Due to the introduction of performance and efficiency indicators, an effective system of monitoring the implementation of the Program is being created.

The implementation of the ANP does not require additional expenditures from the State Budget of Ukraine and is carried out at the expense and within the budget allocations provided by central executive authorities, other state authorities, as well as financial assistance from NATO and individual Allies.

National Agency of Ukraine on Civil Service (hereinafter – NACS) within its competence annually ensures the development and implementation of tasks and measures within the action plan of the ANP in the context of the implementation of public policy in the field of civil service.