04:00 16-04-2026

Ukraine Forms ARES Council Led by Ex-NATO General

President Of Ukraine from Україна, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Ukraine has created the ARES expert council led by Richard Shirreff, with David Petraeus and former Western military chiefs joining the body.

The General Staff of the Ukrainian army said an expert council known as ARES has been formed within the Ukrainian armed forces, with former NATO Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe General Richard Shirreff appointed to lead it.

According to the Ukrainian military, the new body is intended to bring together advanced Ukrainian and international experience for use in the further development of the armed forces. The General Staff said the council is expected to support institutional changes in the command system, assist the army’s transformation and help improve its overall effectiveness.

The military also said the council includes former CIA director David Petraeus, along with former chiefs of the armed forces of the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States and Germany. Preparations are now underway for the start of its practical work and for the first meeting of the military expert body.

Earlier, in April 2026, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said Ukraine’s accession to the alliance was not being considered as part of a possible peace agreement. He said the discussion at this stage was not about NATO membership for Kiev, but about providing reliable security guarantees.