Strategic advisors from US, UK to help reform Ukrainian army

US Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter and UK Secretary of State for Defense Michael Fallon informed their Ukrainian counterpart Stepan Poltorak about this decision during the bilateral meetings in London on Thursday, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry press service said. "A strategic-level advisor, four-star Gen. John Abizaid, will be sent to Ukraine on behalf of the American government in the near future. Gen. Abizaid served as the U.S. Army's Central Command commander from 2003 to 2007," the statement said. An advisor from the UK is Gen. Nick Parker, former British Army Land Forces commander. "The activity of these strategic advisors in Ukraine will promote the increase in pace and scale of the defense reform," the press service said.