Rada approves participation of Ukrainian peacekeepers in NATO, EU anti-piracy operations

The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine approved a bill proposed by President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych to send a national contingent to participate in the Operation Ocean Shield and in the operation of the European Union «EU NAVFOR ATALANTA». 

As ForUm correspondent reports, 334 deputies voted for the presidential bill.

Speaker on this issue defense minister Pavlo Lebedev explained that the bill was developed in accordance with the ratification of the Agreement on sending of the Ukrainian troops to participate in these anti-piracy operations of NATO and the EU "to improve the internal procedures and to maintain the consistency of commitments."

The minister recalled that from September 24 to January 2, the Ukrainian peacekeepers will take part in the Operation Ocean Shield, and from January 3 to March 5 - in the EU operation «EU NAVFOR ATALANTA». The relevant costs were taken into account in the state budget for 2013 and in the request to the state budget for 2014.