Rasmussen Global set out what that would mean in 2018 - and now does in 2020
NATO’s Enhanced
Opportunities Partners
Background and implications for Ukraine
July 20, 2018
1.
What is EOP status?
In the aftermath of Wales in 2014, and as the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan was about to wind down, NATO launched the
Enhanced Opportunities Partnership for Dialogue and Cooperation (EOP)
in order for the Alliance to
maintain and strengthen
the
interoperability
developed between
Allies and
their
key partners
during Afghanistan.
EOP
is awarded only to the most interoperable of partners who have significantly contributed to NATO missions.
Only 5 states
were invited – Australia, Jordan, Finland and Sweden and Georgia. This status is reviewed every 3 years, with the last renewal in Nov 2017.
EOP
is an agreement to commit to doing more together. Specifically, EOP involves a
tailor-made cooperation for specific opportunities
:
-
more political consultations
including at the ministerial level;
-
more access to exercises;
-
sharing of information
;
-
more preparation for operations and crisis management
.
The
partners
get a lot of
flexibility
in terms of
defining the partnership
. For example, as a result of EOP status,
Sweden
and
Finland
are discussing Baltic security with NATO Allies. Should it receive EOP status, Ukraine could similarly do the same with Georgia and other NATO allies with respect to Black Sea Security, cyber or hybrid warfare.
Finland
and
Sweden
, in particular, are very integrated with the Alliance. Besides the frequent political consultations, they exercise regularly and they participate in the
NATO Response Force
(NRF).
2.
Why should Ukraine have EOP status in 2018?
Ukraine has
met the criteria
for joining
NATO’s Enhanced Opportunities Program
since 2014
.
It is therefore high time for it to receive EOP 4 years later.
Not only has Ukraine been a significant contributor to Allied operations and the NATO Response Force (NRF), but last year,
Ukraine
was recognized by Allies
for increasing
its
contribution
to
Resolute Support Mission (RSM),
the successor to ISAF after 2014.
Both Georgia and Ukraine are contributors to the NRF, in addition to Finland and Sweden
. This makes Ukraine the
only one among the four partners which is a contributor to the NRF but not an EOP country
.
Ukraine is not the only one who would stand to benefit from an enhanced cooperation with NATO. With the most
battle-hardened force
on the European continent and a significant military industrial complex, Ukrainian capabilities, knowledge, and technical expertise would be of significant value to the Alliance.
Ukraine’s commitment to allocating sufficient funds for defense far surpasses that of many NATO Allies as it
allocates around 5% of GDP to defense spending
. Given that the bulk of European Allies and Canada still spend under 2%, this would put most NATO members to shame.
EOP status is not a replacement for NATO membership,
nor does it
alter Ukraine’s status as a self-declared aspirant for membership, since Georgia has EOP status as well. However, EOP could be an important next stage in the relationship between Ukraine and NATO.
Ultimately, EOP status is
an important political message
as it is given to the closest of partners. Awarding it to Ukraine would be a timely recognition of Ukraine’s efforts and contributions, and a show of Allied solidarity at a time when Ukraine confronts continued aggression by Russia and its proxies in the illegally occupied Donbas region