Maj. Gen. Krawciw speaks in Kansas on U.S.-Ukraine military relations

by Maj. Myron Hnatczuk

LAWRENCE, Kansas - More than 50 Ukrainian Americans as well as students of the University of Kansas filled the Kansas Room of the Kansas Union to hear Maj. Gen. Nicholas Krawciw's (U.S. Army-ret.) address on the state of U.S.-Ukraine military relations on the evening of March 9.

Gen. Krawciw's presentation was sponsored by the Palij Memorial Fund, which annually (since 1983) invites speakers on Ukrainian topics to the University of Kansas. Gen. Krawciw is currently the U.S. defense secretary's senior military representative for Ukraine, and in this capacity is responsible for the military to military contacts between the two countries.

Gen. Krawciw has worked in this area since Ukrainian independence and was one of the key people involved in the creation of the Russia, Ukraine and Eurasia (RUE) division within the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD). Thus, the general has been involved in U.S.-Ukraine relations and events from the start. His presentation traced the development of military relations from their early beginning, what the general described as "mostly military tourism" to the current "substantive engagement," and outlined plans for the future of these contacts.

Among the most successful aspects of past military cooperation were the annual Peace Shield and Sea Breeze exercises, and the state partnership programs, under which the Kansas and California National Guards have close ties with the Ukrainian military. One of the most important ongoing projects involves the Ukrainian Military Education reform program.

Under this program, Ukraine continues to adapt and modernize its military educational system, using modern methodologies, while consolidating the number of military education institutions to a smaller number, more in line with current, post-Soviet-era needs.

Another key point discussed was the current support that Ukraine provides to the peacekeeping operations in the former Yugoslavia, as well as current and possible future Ukrainian involvement in the Kosovo operation.

The key areas for future developments that Maj. Gen. Krawciw touched upon where the expansion of advanced contacts in the field of civil military affairs. The development of these contacts is tied to future military participation in humanitarian and environmental endeavors.

Earlier in the day, Maj. Gen. Krawciw met with a much smaller group, the Central European and Eurasian foreign area officers (FAOs) studying at the University of Kansas. FAOs are U.S. Army officers preparing for careers in military service either as analysts or attachés working at embassies within their areas of expertise.

During this smaller group discussion the general was able to discuss the specifics of military to military contacts on a much more detailed level. The discussion during this session was much more focused on specifics of past, current and future contacts, and was a question and answer period. Trisha Hobson, University of Kansas Ukrainian studies coordinator, was also part of this discussion group.

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, May 21, 2000, No. 21, Vol. LXVIII

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