Ukraine Is Not Yet Ready for NATO Membership – Poroshenko

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko announced that Ukraine will not be applying for NATO membership for the time being.

This came ahead of the NATO-Ukraine Commission meeting in Kyiv on July 10, in which the NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg, is taking part.

At the same time,according to the President, NATO membership is a priority political issue. Poroshenko pointed out the fact that Ukraine should focus on carrying out important reforms to meet the standards of NATO member states.

“Again, I would like to emphasise the fact that this does not mean we will be applying for membership straightaway. It means that we need to build a real reform programme, a programme for our co-operation, step up our efforts for reaching the required standards, and in this, we need the help and co-operation of our NATO partners,” he said.

The president also noted that, because of Russian aggression, the weight of the Alliance has grown, “NATO has awoken”.

In turn, Jens Stoltenberg said that members of the Alliance, “value Ukraine’s contribution” to the work of the Alliance. He talked about the fact that NATO countries will never recognise Russia’s annexation of Crimea and the need to implement the Minsk agreements.

“Russia continues to act aggressively, but NATO and the countries of the Alliance are on your side”.

The North Atlantic Council meets within the NATO-Ukraine Commission and is held in honour of the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Charter on a Distinctive Partnership between NATO and Ukraine.

To recall, Jens Stoltenberg previously stated that NATO would continue to cooperate with Ukraine. The Secretary General will also speak at the Council.