Ukrinform
March 31, 2015
NATO explains when it considers Ukraine’s membership
KYIV: NATO monitors the reform process in Ukraine to assess its readiness to join the military-political bloc.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said this at a meeting of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament in Brussels on Monday, an Ukrinform correspondent reported.
“Ukraine has recently announced the launch of the reform process, in order to join NATO. As I said before, it will take some time. We will assess any request coming from Ukraine, just like from any other country, but this will happen only if and when there is an application,” Stoltenberg said.
He also said that Russia’s interference in the choice of neighboring countries, regarding NATO membership, is unacceptable.
“We consider escalation in the east of Ukraine as a result of Russia’s behavior, more drastic Russia, which is responsible for the aggressive actions in Ukraine and uses military force to change the borders and annex the part of another country,” he said.
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