The Response Force consists of rapid deployment forces with land, air and sea components, capable of swiftly reacting to crisis situations.
Scheffer's announcement came after a Ukraine-NATO commission meeting in Brussels, held as part of the Western military alliance's two-day meeting of defense ministers.
Ukraine was one of the first NATO partner countries to offer to play a role in the NATO Response Force.
The country's pro-Western leadership has been pursuing NATO membership since 2004, when President Viktor Yushchenko came to power. Ukraine failed to secure membership in the NATO Membership Action Plan, a key step toward joining the alliance, at a NATO summit in April, but was told the decision would be reviewed in December.
Russia staunchly opposes the post-Soviet country's NATO ambitions, and the Kremlin threatened in February to retarget missiles at Ukraine if it joins NATO.
A poll conducted in April by the FOM-Ukraina pollster showed a majority of Ukrainians oppose NATO membership.
The poll found that 54.9% of respondents would vote against joining the military alliance if a referendum were to be held, while 22.3% would vote in favor.
