For the first time, Ukraine pas participate in what is described as a NATO Article 5 exercise. According to a press release issued by NATO’s Allied Land Command, NATO Exercise Loyal Dolos was a flagship event in NATO’s 2025 training program, “showcasing allied vigilance, readiness, and the ability to respond with speed and precision to any challenge the Alliance may face.” The exercise, which ran from Dec. 2 to 11, involved some 1,500 military personnel but was centered on he NATO Rapid Deployable Corps—Greece and its capabilities as a NATO Warfighting Corps.
According to the Ukrainian Defense Ministry, Ukrainian representatives of the NATO-Ukraine Joint Analysis, Training, and Education Center (JATEC) participated in the final phase of Loyal Dolos. “Participation of Ukrainian JATEC experts in Loyal Dolos 2025, a key element of NATO’s training under Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, holds strategic significance for us, as it is the first time Ukraine’s representatives have been involved in practicing the Alliance’s collective security mechanisms,” emphasized Valerii Vyshnivskyi, Ukraine’s Senior National Representative to JATEC and Director for Program Implementation at the NATO-Ukraine Joint Center, reported Ukrinform.
According to Vyshnivskyi, this involvement helped NATO recognize Ukraine as one of the most experienced participants in the regional security system and highlighted the importance of interaction with Ukraine’s Security and Defense Forces.
Not reported is whether or not a non-member of NATO has ever participated in an NATO Article 5 exercise before.
