09:12 18.12.2021

MFA: only Ukraine, NATO allies entitled to decide vector of further development of their relations, including membership issue

2 min read
MFA: only Ukraine, NATO allies entitled to decide vector of further development of their relations, including membership issue

Only Ukraine and NATO allies have the right to decide the vector of further development of their relations, including the issue of Ukraine's gaining membership in the Alliance, Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine (MFA) Oleh Nikolenko has said.

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine drew attention to the Russian draft agreements with the United States and agreements with NATO on so-called security guarantees, circulated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia. Due to the provisions of these projects, which concern our state, we stress that only Ukraine and NATO members have the right decide the vector of further development of its relations, including the issue of Ukraine's acquisition of membership in the Alliance," Nikolenko told Interfax-Ukraine on Friday.

He said the North Atlantic Alliance shares the same position, which is confirmed, in particular, in his statement of December 16, 2021.

"The same applies to the exclusive sovereign right of Ukraine to independently determine the development of relations with foreign states at the bilateral level, including in the field of military cooperation. We note the generally recognized fact that the main problem of the security of the Euro-Atlantic space is currently the Russian armed aggression, as well as the current Russian escalation along the border of Ukraine and on its occupied territories," Nikolenko said.

The Foreign Ministry's spokesperson said it is precisely the curtailment of the escalation and the end of the international armed conflict unleashed by Russia that is the best guarantee of security on the continent.

"In this regard, we call on Russia, as the first constructive steps to achieve this goal, to immediately and unconditionally return to the constructive agenda and now start the implementation of the Minsk agreements and the agreements of the leaders of the Normandy format, including the general agreed conclusions of the 2019 Normandy Four summit," which relate, first of all, to the strict observance of the ceasefire regime, further disengagement of forces and equipment, the continuation of the demining process, the implementation of the political aspects of the General Agreed Conclusions of the Paris Summit, the opening and ensuring the proper functioning of new checkpoints on the contact line, the next stages of the process of mutual release of the detained persons and exchange of relevant lists," Nikolenko said.

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