Bydgoszcz, Poland – A historic milestone was reached in NATO-Ukraine cooperation on February 17th, 2025, with the inauguration of the Joint Analysis Training and Education Centre (JATEC) in Bydgoszcz, Poland. JATEC leverages real-time lessons from the conflict in Ukraine to inform NATO’s defence planning.
The inauguration ceremony featured remarks by Ms. Radmila Shekerinska, NATO Deputy Secretary General, H.E. Ms. Olha Stefanishyna, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice, Admiral Pierre Vandier, Supreme Allied Commander Transformation and Mr. Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence.
At the 2024 Washington Summit, Allies agreed to establish a Centre to jointly analyze civilian-military lessons from Russia’s war against Ukraine and drawing upon them in NATO and Ukrainian strategy, policy and operations to position NATO and Ukraine to achieve warfighting preparedness and objectives. Following the inauguration, NATO possesses a dedicated military-civilian entity focused on analyzing these successes, as well as Russian military efforts in Ukraine. This will equip the Alliance with the best possible understanding of adversarial warfighting tactics and enable the sharing of this critical analysis with Allies. This enhanced knowledge will better prepare the defences of Allied Nations and provide valuable insights for informing NATO’s operational plans.
The Centre will be a joint NATO-Ukraine entity, directly subordinate to Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, Admiral Pierre Vandier, and led by Polish Brigadier General, Wojciech Ozga.
Admiral Vandier, Allied Command Transformation is really living up to its name. It has transformed an idea into action in a few months.
– Ms. Radmila Shekerinska, NATO Deputy Secretary General
With Ukrainian personnel embedded within its structure, JATEC blends NATO’s strategic expertise and Ukraine’s invaluable front-line experience. It is the first NATO Centre explicitly dedicated to identifying and applying lessons from Russia’s war in Ukraine, encompassing both military and civilian dimensions.
For the Initial Operational Capability, also declared today, the Centre will start with 33 staff, with the personnel number to be initially appointed at 74. The final number of FOC personnel will be determined after the first JATEC assessment, and the Centre is expected to be fully operational by 2026. JATEC’s work will serve as a catalyst for strengthening NATO-Ukraine relations and delivering rapid long-term benefits to both parties.
Russia is learning fast and we need to learn even faster.
– Admiral Pierre Vandier, Supreme Allied Commander Transformation.
Photos from Polish Ministry of Defence Flickr page.
