The Armed Forces of Ukraine congratulated colleagues, friends and allies on US Armed Forces Day 2023, which is celebrated on Saturday, May 20, paid tribute and also expressed their respect and gratitude to all military and civilian personnel who serve across all seven US Army U.S. Marine Corps, US Navy, United States Air Force, United States Space Force, U.S. Coast Guard, The National Guard branches in the United States military, US Department of Defense (DoD) and The Joint Staff.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine expressed that they are grateful to the United States for standing by Ukraine’s side over more than 31 years of Independence, supporting Ukrainian people and dissidents in the time of totalitarian oppressing of the communist Soviet regime, and especially the last more than nine most challenging years in Ukraine’s modern history after the Russian invasion in 2014, and especially – for the previous 451 days during the full scale of unprovoked, unjustified, unfair, cruel, military aggression and Russian war, for Your supporting of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine, or AFU, were also grateful for the total armament, logistical support and multi-year teaching and methodological contribution of the US Armed Forces trainers on combat training, training on medicine and mental health for military psychologists of the AFU, cadets, and chaplains advisory and logistical assistance, military legislative training, presenting and granting IT equipment within the framework of the US government’s program on implementing information technology solutions for the AFU and media kits for the public affairs structures of the AFU. The AFU appreciated all the US support, educational, advisory, logistical, and training, exchange, technical, armed assistance in the path of Ukraine’s struggle to restore the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression.
AFU expressed that they are grateful to the US Armed Forces standing firmly with Ukraine in support of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity in the face of Russian aggression within the framework of the US-led and established Ukraine Defense Contact Group, uniting more than 50 countries at the Ramstein American Air Base in Germany from April 26 2022, as it was in the agenda of the Multinational Joint Commission and Joint Multinational Training Group-Ukraine (JMTGU) to strengthen the capabilities of the AFU and its capacities to counter aggression by the Russian Federation.
Reportedly, The US security assistance package provides various means such as capacity building, increasing the capabilities, and achieving maximum interoperability with Allied forces not for the Armed Forces of Ukraine only but broadly for the democratic Euro-Atlantic strategic development of people, society and Ukrainian State on its way to full integration in NATO and EU after the joint victory on Russia.
American support of Ukraine is an integral part of the assistance, which should contribute to establishing stability and security in Europe, locally and globally.
The funds provided for the last nine years are aimed at strengthening the combat capabilities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine to counter Russian aggression and save the lives and health of Ukrainian soldiers who defend the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our state.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine honoured the memory of Joseph Stone, a US citizen serving as a paramedic with the OSCE SMM – Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine, who was killed by Russians when his vehicle struck a mine in the east of Ukraine in territory controlled by Russian occupational forces, the same as all fallen heroes for the Independence of Ukraine.
