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Ukraine to Discuss NATO Accession Steps on December 15: Ukainian Diplomat

Sputnik News

20:14 13.12.2014(updated 21:05 13.12.2014)

Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg will discuss restoring Euro-Atlantic integration and initial steps for rapprochement between Ukraine and NATO, according to the deputy head of Ukraine's mission Minister Counsellor Yehor Bozhok.

KIEV, December 13 (Sputnik) – Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg will discuss Kiev's accession to and cooperation with NATO on December 15 in Brussels, the deputy head of Ukraine's mission in the alliance told the country's national news agency Ukrinform on Saturday.

'The meeting's agenda will include restoring Euro-Atlantic integration and initial steps for rapprochement between Ukraine and NATO,' Minister Counsellor Yehor Bozhok was quoted as saying by the agency.

According to Bozhok, the scheduled talks will primarily focus on adapting Ukraine's national legal framework of its armed forces' status and coordination with NATO standards. The parties will also discuss reforming Ukraine's defense, security, military-industrial complex and armed forces in accordance with NATO standards, as well as developing and coordinating Ukraine's army with alliance forces.

Among other topics, Bozhok named Ukraine's development opportunities in cybersecurity and plans of cooperation in certain areas with NATO's advisory, practical and logistical support.

'In particular, this includes the implementation of the Annual National Program Ukraine-NATO cooperation for 2015 and a road map extending coordination between the Ukrainian Armed Forces and NATO in 2015-2016,' the diplomat added.

On Thursday, the Ukrainian prime minister said he would head the Ukrainian delegation to Brussels on December 15, where alongside talks with NATO, he is scheduled to attend the inaugural EU-Ukraine Association Council session. Beside NATO's secretary general, Yatsenyuk will meet with European Council President Donald Tusk and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini.

Prior to Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, his predecessor Viktor Yanukovich maintained the country's non-aligned status despite previous steps taken to join NATO. In late August, the Ukrainian government introduced a bill abolishing its non-aligned status and resuming its course to join NATO.

© Sputnik