Over 72,000 Ukrainian women currently serve in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, thousands of them engage in combat missions, and this is a major transformation.

Irene Fellin, NATO Secretary General’s Special Representative for Women, Peace and Security, emphasized this idea at the 17 th Annual Kyiv Security Forum “UA: UNITE AGAIN TO DEFEAT THE GLOBAL AGGRESSOR”, organized by the Arseniy Yatsenyuk Foundation “Open Ukraine”.

“Russia’s aggressive war marked a profound pivotal point for European and transatlantic security. It shattered assumptions, redesigned priorities and reminded us all that peace cannot be taken for granted. “It is not only Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity that are jeopardized - it is a direct attack on the very principles that underpin our democratic societies,” Irene Fellin stressed.

She noted that Ukraine has already “passed the test” that determines true membership in a democratic world, and has demonstrated not only its readiness, but also its ability to contribute to European and transatlantic security.

The NATO Secretary General’s Special Representative emphasized that “Ukraine has clearly demonstrated that today’s security is not just about tanks and troops.”

“This is the strength of our societies. This is trust. This is people, women and men. This is leadership at all levels. These are institutions that reflect the society they serve and protect. More than 72 thousand Ukrainian women now serve in the national Armed Forces, thousands of them engage in combat missions. This is a serious, a landslide transformation,” she said.

The Kyiv Security Forum, organized by the Arseniy Yatsenyuk “Open Ukraine” Foundation, is the major platform in this country to discuss issues of war and peace, national and global security.