NATO announced the appointment of Patrick Turner as its first Senior Representative to the country. Turner, a British national with extensive experience in NATO’s leadership, will take up his position in Kyiv this September.

This new position was established following the NATO Washington Summit on 9-11 July, as part of a series of measures to deepen NATO’s organizational support for Ukraine. Other initiatives include:

• Creation of a structure to coordinate military aid (NSATU)
• A commitment to provide a minimum of €40 billion in aid to Kyiv over the next year, distributed among member countries
• Establishment of a joint competence center (JATEC) with Ukraine.

As the Alliance’s point person in Kyiv, Turner will wear multiple hats. He’ll lead NATO’s in-country representation, serve as the primary liaison with Ukrainian authorities, and provide crucial on-the-ground assessments to inform NATO’s decision-making processes. 

He previously served as NATO Assistant Secretary General for Operations and as Assistant Secretary General for Defence Policy and Planning, as well as in a range of senior civil service positions for the United Kingdom.

Read more:

• Summit in Washington: Ukraine’s NATO dream deferred, but not dead
• Zelenskyy: Security guarantees boost Ukraine’s defenses but NATO membership remains the goal
• NATO to expand its presence in Ukraine: prepare it for accession