KIEV, May 31 (RIA Novosti) - Ukraine is planning to host six multinational military exercises in 2006, the country's Foreign Ministry said Wednesday.

The ministry said Ukraine was planning to host Tight Knot-2006 with the United Kingdom, Combined Effort-2006 with the United States, South-2006 with Moldova, a tactical exercise with Slovakia, the multinational exercise Sea Breeze-2006 and Ukrainian-Polish-British exercise Cossack Steppe-2006.

The ministry said the exercises should help Ukraine's armed forces achieve compatibility with NATO standards, but added that the country's parliament, the Supreme Rada, would have to give permission for the exercises to be held after it banned foreign troops from participating in military exercises in Ukraine in early 2006.