Ukraine plans to become 17th U.S. main ally out of NATO bounds

10:44, 10.10.2016 1 min read

Ukraine is working to receive the status of a major non-NATO member U.S. ally, Defense Minister of Ukraine Stepan Poltorak has said.

"In 2015 we adopted the Military Doctrine, which defines the specific tasks. The first is the European policy. The second is NATO membership. We are working on it. Regarding the status of a particular partner, we have the task to work in this direction delegated by the president of Ukraine [Petro Poroshenko]. But we have to prove our colleagues, including NATO members, that we have a clear vision of the reforms flow in the armed forces and Defense Ministry, as they are inescapable," Poltorak said on "Left Bank with Sonia Koshkina" TV program aired on Sunday night.

According to the minister, the Ukrainian side is negotiating with the U.S. on this issue, and the U.S. retired general John Abizaid will travel to Ukraine by the end of this month. He has been recently appointed an advisor to Poltorak and will assist in convergence and cooperation between Ukraine and the U.S.