North Atlantic Treaty Organization
Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe
November 27, 2014
Supreme Allied Commander Europe, General Philip Breedlove, visits Ukraine
KIEV, Ukraine: Gen. Phil Breedlove, Supreme Allied Commander Europe and Commander, U.S. European Command (EUCOM), visited Kiev, Ukraine November 26-27 to speak with senior political and military leaders.
Breedlove, in his U.S. capacity, met with President Poroshenko, Prime Minister Yatsenyuk, U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine, Geoffrey Pyatt, Minister of Defence, General-Colonel Stepan Poltorak and others to discuss the security situation in eastern Ukraine, support from the United States and reforms planned in the defense sector.
“Ukraine’s preservation of its sovereignty, which is under immediate threat from Russia, is the top priority of the country’s leadership and one that the international community fully supports,” said Breedlove.
While speaking with the press, Breedlove addressed the friends, families and loved ones of Ukrainian troops who have perished fighting Russian-backed forces in East Ukraine, and said he was deeply moved by the memorials to the fallen on Institutska St. in Kiev where many civilians gave their lives for the freedom of their country.
The U.S., NATO allies and the international community will remain committed to pursuing a diplomatic solution that respects Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, he said.
Story by SHAPE Public Affairs Office
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