The Ukrainian army is scheduled to participate in the 2022 army-led NATO exercise Defender Europe.

The United States had pledged not to allow admission to NATO of former Soviet republics, but only that of former Warsaw Pact members outside the USSR. Ukraine’s accession to the Atlantic Alliance was thereby excluded.

This exercise aims to verify and improve the interoperability between NATO armies and other US allies.

Russia has made Ukraine’s accession to NATO a red line not to be crossed.