The U.S. Defense Department is upset over Ukraine's refusal to take part in the Sea Breeze 2009 joint maneuvers with NATO, U.S. Deputy Defense Minister for International Security Alexander Vershbow said in Kyiv on September 29.
“We are upset about the fact that the Ukrainian parliament did not wish to make decision to provide the right to conduct the Sea Breeze 2009 joint maneuvers. And we were forced to cancel our joint maneuvers,” he said.
Vershbow expressed hope that “eventually Ukrainian politicians will have enough will to properly transform the Ukrainian army.”
As reported, on April 24, 2009, the Verkhovna Rada registered a bill proposed by Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko, allowing other countries’ armed forces to enter Ukraine in 2009 to take part in multinational military exercises.
