NATO-Ukraine Training Centre Opens in Poland

The NATO-Ukraine Analysis, Education and Training Centre (JATEC) has officially begun operations in Bydgoszcz, Poland, marking the establishment of the first institution of its kind within NATO structures.

The centre is designed to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine in achieving full interoperability with NATO forces and to facilitate the exchange of military expertise.

The inauguration ceremony on February 17 was attended by senior officials, including Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, NATO Deputy Secretary General Radmiła Szekerinska, NATO Supreme Allied Commander Transformation Admiral Pierre Vandier, and Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Olha Stefaniszyna.

“The Analysis, Training and Education Centre in Bydgoszcz is the first tangible institution in NATO structures, created jointly by NATO and Ukraine. This means that Ukraine is getting closer to NATO and is becoming a strategic partner of our alliance,” Kosiniak-Kamysz said.

JATEC was established following a decision made during a NATO Defense Ministers meeting on February 15, and later confirmed at the NATO Summit in Washington in July 2024. The centre, under the command of Polish General Wojciech Ozga, reached initial operational capability in January 2025 and is expected to be fully operational by the end of the year.

Bydgoszcz, already a key NATO hub, hosts multiple allied institutions, including the NATO Joint Force Training Centre (JFTC) and the NATO Military Police Centre of Excellence.