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Ukraine Hopes to Launch Membership Action Plan Talks With NATO Soon - Ambassador

© Sputnik / Mikhail Markiv / Go to the mediabankNational flag of Ukraine and the NATO flag
National flag of Ukraine and the NATO flag - Sputnik International
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Ukraine hopes to engage into a dialogue with NATO about the country's accession to NATO Membership Action Plan soon, according to Head of Ukraine's Mission to NATO Vadym Prystaiko.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg walk before a meeting in Kiev, Ukraine, July 10, 2017. - Sputnik International
NATO Membership as Carrot on a Stick for Ukraine
KIEV (Sputnik) — "[Ukraine] proposed NATO to consider an opportunity to start a political dialogue that should result in accession of Ukraine to NATO Membership Action Plan. We need this dialogue to ensure that the Alliance wouldn't decline our request," Prystaiko stated.

On Monday, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said that he considered it necessary to launch Membership Action Plan negotiations, adding that the proposals to start these negotiations by Kiev were accepted by NATO.

"My goal is to get to the point where the Alliance itself will be waiting for our request, and once it is submitted, NATO will solemnly offer Ukraine a Membership Action Plan at the next session," Prystaiko added.

Membership Action Plan is a program that is intended to assist those countries which would like to become a NATO member. The program provides for a channel for feedback for potential Alliance's members that informs them about their progress in meeting NATO requirements. Nevertheless, participation in a Membership Action Plan does not give any guarantees for the admission to NATO.

Ukraine began its cooperation with NATO soon after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. The same year a newly independent Ukrainian state joined Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council. However, with the advent of Victor Yanukovich to power in 2010, Ukraine identified a non-aligned status as a priority and ceased its cooperation with NATO. Following the Euromaidan events and snap presidential election, Ukraine renounced its non-aligned status in 2014. In June 2016, Ukrainian authorities indicated that its membership in NATO was an objective of the country's foreign policy.

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