Ukraine should do its utmost to become a full-fledged member of NATO as soon as possible, Verkhovna Rada Speaker Andriy Parubiy has said.

"Our task is to make every effort to join the free peoples united in the North Atlantic Alliance as quickly as possible," he said opening the morning session of the Ukrainian parliament in Kyiv on Tuesday.

He recalled that on April 4, 1949 in Washington (U.S.) the North Atlantic Alliance (NATO) was established and congratulated the NATO countries on this date.

"I believe that we will celebrate this day together as a full-fledged member of NATO," he said.