Voice of America News
December 29, 2014
Ukrainian President Signs Law Allowing NATO Membership Bid
President Petro Poroshenko has signed a law abandoning Ukraine’s neutral “non-bloc” status, and said Ukrainians will decide whether the country should seek NATO membership once it meets the standards of the Western military alliance.
Poroshenko predicted that moment would come in five or six years.
He signed the law on December 29 during an end-of-year news conference in Kyiv.
“When Ukraine meets the appropriate standards — I think that will be done within five-six years in the framework of Strategy 2020 — then the people of Ukraine will determine whether the country will join NATO,” Poroshenko said, suggesting a referendum would be held on the issue.
The new law scraps 2010 legislation that barred Ukraine from seeking to join any military alliance.
Ukraine’s parliament passed the law on December 23, drawing vocal criticism from Russia.
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Deadly fighting has continued despite a September 5 agreement on a cease-fire and steps toward peace.
On December 29, each side accused the other of committing fresh cease-fire violations.
Poroshenko said three Ukrainian soldiers were killed in fighting over the Donetsk airport, the site of some of the heaviest combat since the September 5 cease-fire.
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The European Union and the United States have imposed several rounds of sanctions on Russia over its annexation of Ukraine and support for the separatists.
On December 28, Merkel called on Russia to use its influence on the separatists, who control parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, to do more to end the conflict.
The latest peace talks, held in December 24 in Minsk, ended without a breakthrough, and a follow-up meeting expected on December 26 did not take place.
On December 26, Kyiv exchanged about 220 people for some 145 captured Ukrainian soldiers as agreed during the Minsk meeting.
With reporting by UNIAN, Interfax, AFP, and Reuters
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