KIEV, February 12 (RIA Novosti) - The Ukrainian parliament adopted a bill on Tuesday to downsize the country's armed forces in 2008.
A total of 243 lawmakers out of 441 voted for the bill.
The numerical strength of the 200,000-strong Ukrainian armed forces will be cut to 191,000 servicemen by December 31, 2008. The armed forces will be further downsized to 143,000 by 2011.
In January, Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko, Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko and parliamentary speaker Arseniy Yatsenyuk sent a letter to NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer expressing their hope that the country could join an action plan for NATO membership.
