Ukrainian President signs law to abolish non-aligned status

AP reported that on December 29, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko signed a law abolishing the country's non-aligned status, but indicated that he would hold a referendum before seeking membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

Speaking at a press conference, Mr. Poroshenko affirmed that he is working to reform Ukraine's economy and armed forces to meet the standards of the European Union (EU) and NATO.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko. (Source: AFP/VNA)

However, he stressed that he would let the Ukrainian people decide whether to join NATO or not.

Last week, Ukraine’s parliament revoked the country’s non-aligned status. Although Ukraine is unlikely to become a NATO member in the short term, Russia has reacted angrily to such a prospect, calling it a threat to Kiev’s own and Europe’s security./.

According to VNA