Ukraine in new push for NATO membership

U.S. supports Ukraine's NATO membership bid - Biden
RIA Novosti

18:1121/07/2009 KIEV, July 21 (RIA Novosti) - The United States supports Ukraine's plans to join NATO, U.S. Vice President Joe Biden said on Tuesday.
Biden, who is currently in Ukraine, said that both he and U.S. President Barack Obama supported Ukraine's NATO bid.

At a joint news conference with Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko, Biden told him that the United States did not recognize "anyone else's right to dictate to you or any other country what alliance you will seek to belong to or what bilateral relationships you have."

Ukraine has been pursuing NATO membership since pro-Western Yushchenko was inaugurated in January 2005. However, regular opinion polls show that the majority of Ukrainians continue to oppose joining the alliance.

NATO has enlarged since 1999, admitting three ex-Soviet Baltic republics and four Communist-bloc states in Eastern Europe. The expansion has strained relations between the West and Russia, which is concerned by the new military bases emerging along its borders.

U.S. President Obama paid an official visit to Moscow two weeks ago, causing anxiety in Ukraine and Georgia, another former Soviet republic seeking NATO membership, amid Washington's plans to 'reset' relations with Russia.

However, Biden told Yushchenko that the 'reset' in relations with Russia "will not come at Ukraine's expense, to the contrary, I believe it can actually benefit Ukraine."

Ukraine and Georgia's NATO bids were strongly backed by the George W. Bush administration, but were turned down due to pressure from Germany and France at a 2008 NATO summit in Bucharest.

However, NATO has stated that the two countries will join at an unspecified date in the future. Both countries have also been included in the alliance's Partnership for Peace program, aimed at allowing "partner countries to build up an individual relationship with NATO, choosing their own priorities for cooperation."

I am really getting pissed with those Western yonker lovers in Ukraine. Our brothers suffer in Crimea and Eastern Ukraine while they kiss up to NATO. What have their ties gotten them... a broken economy. Yushenko is a dictator first degree and doesn't respect international law. Delivering tanks to Sudan when they were supposed to go to Kenya. Tell me that isn't illegal.

Neither Ukraine nor Georgia is not ready now to join NATO - NATO Secretary General
22.07.2009
LONDON, July 21. (ITAR-TASS). Ukraine and Georgia not ready now to join NATO and the provision was unlikely to change in the foreseeable future. This position was NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer.

He arrived in Britain "a farewell visit, as the August 1, leaving his post in connection with the expiration of the 5-year term.

NATO came and continues to emanate from the fundamental principle that every country in Europe has the right to seek membership in NATO, Hoop Scheffer said. But desire is not all, this is not an automatic right of entry, the States must meet all the requirements of NATO, he said.

"Today, neither Ukraine nor Georgia is not ready for it" - said Secretary General of NATO.

He noted that the internal political situation in Ukraine is complex, referring to diplomatic language, but in Georgia it was also difficult. "

Nevertheless, between NATO and these two countries there are appropriate arrangements, which provide for annual meetings in order to determine the extent of mutual cooperation, said NATO Secretary General.


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KIEV, August 7 (RIA Novosti) - Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko signed a decree on Friday approving a national program for 2009 aimed at preparing the country to join NATO, the presidential press service said.

The document gives the Ukrainian government one month to draft and adopt an action plan to implement the program in 2009.

The Cabinet was also instructed to submit by December 1 a draft national program for 2010, and to follow the same procedure in the future until Ukraine is granted NATO membership.

Ukraine has been pursuing NATO membership since pro-Western Yushchenko was inaugurated in January 2005.

Ukraine and Georgia's NATO bids were strongly backed by the administration of U.S. President George W. Bush, but were turned down due to pressure from Germany and France at a 2008 NATO summit in Bucharest.

However, NATO has stated that the two countries will join at an unspecified date in the future.

Both countries have also been included in the alliance's Partnership for Peace program, aimed at allowing "partner countries to build up an individual relationship with NATO, choosing their own priorities for cooperation."

The implementation of Ukraine's national program on NATO accession will be checked annually by NATO experts.

New NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said on Monday that Ukraine and Georgia were still far from joining NATO, but added that the membership remained open to countries that meet NATO standards.

Source

This makes me . With Yuschenko having a very low popularity as it is (3%), and his term coming up with re-elections, NATO won't get very far in Ukraine. They may push papers around but by the time they even make this so called "NATO" standard, Ukraine will already have a new president (and most likely "pro-Russian"), that this whole NATO thing there will blow over, cities/towns/streets re-named (again) and Ukraine developing new sectors with the help of Russia. As it stands, Yuschenko destroyed mostly the military industry, the agriculture industry and whatever tech industries that held after the fall of the USSR. Their GDP dropped, standard of living dropped and finally, their relations with countries that provided them funds dropped.

This NATO stuff may work in countries that have 1) a large populace that does not speak Russian and 2) that has no real big trading standards with Russia as well. But since Ukraine had those two, they will forever face hardship unless they acknowledge that pissing off Russia is not a good idea (especially when both Races are umm, lets see...RELATED!). Ukraine is not Poland. That is for sure.

Vladimir79 wrote:I am really getting pissed with those Western yonker lovers in Ukraine. Our brothers suffer in Crimea and Eastern Ukraine while they kiss up to NATO. What have their ties gotten them... a broken economy. Yushenko is a dictator first degree and doesn't respect international law. Delivering tanks to Sudan when they were supposed to go to Kenya. Tell me that isn't illegal.

If you consider new results of the approval rate on Ukrainian government, which is record low, you'll see that there is not room for additional mistakes by them nor HATO. HATO "representatives" are not stupid and will not deal with current Ukraine politicians 'cause it may lead to catastrophe.In other words, they will wait for upcoming presidential elections in Ukraine...

July 31, 2009
Approval Ratings in Ukraine, Russia Highlight Differences
Worldwide low 4% of Ukrainians approve of their country’s leadership
by Julie Ray and Neli Esipova

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Eighty-five percent of Ukrainians in May told Gallup they disapprove of the job performance of their country's leadership, up from 75% in 2008 and 73% in 2007. The 4% of Ukrainians who approve is not only the lowest rating Gallup has ever measured in former Soviet countries, but also the lowest in the world.

Ukrainians' high disapproval likely reflects frustration with the bitter political infighting between President Viktor Yushchenko and Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko. The conflict between the former allies has essentially paralyzed policymaking for the past year and a half. Individually, Ukrainians give both leaders low marks.

Yushchenko's 7% approval rating is less than half of the 17% he garnered in 2008. (Gallup did not ask Ukrainians to rate Tymoshenko in 2008.) The prime minister's current 20% approval is nearly three times higher than the president's rating, which could be relevant to their chances when they run against each other in Ukraine's presidential election in five months. Analysts suggest that low approval could give outside candidates an advantage in January.
http://www.gallup.com/poll/121976/approval-ratings-ukraine-russia-highlight-differences.aspx

Ukraine, NATO sign declaration to complement Charter on Distinctive Partnership

A declaration to complement the Charter on a Distinctive Partnership between the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and Ukraine dated July 9, 1997, was signed in Brussels on Friday.

The document was signed by Head of Ukraine's Mission to the Alliance Ihor Sahach and NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, the Foreign Ministry's press service reported on Friday.

The declaration reflects the changes that have taken place in relations between Ukraine and NATO since 1997, when the Charter was signed, in particular in light of the decisions taken in 2008 concerning Ukraine's prospect of ultimately gaining NATO membership and the practical mechanism to approach this goal.

The declaration determined a central role of the Ukraine-NATO Commission in supervising the process of deepening the reforms carried out in Ukraine within the framework of the Annual National Programs.

The first Annual National Program for this year on Ukraine's preparation for the membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization was approved by the Ukrainian president on August 7, 2009.

The signing of the document has become the next practical step in implementing the decisions taken at the NATO Council meeting and supported at the following meeting of the Ukraine-NATO Commission at the ministerial level last December.

http://www.interfax.com.ua/eng/main/18965/

Ukraine has committed to NATO to start negotiations with Russia on the withdrawal of the mechanisms of the Black Sea Fleet from Crimea
03.09.2009

KIEV, September 2. (ITAR-TASS). Ukraine is committed to NATO to take steps to start negotiations with Russia on the withdrawal mechanism for determining Russia's Black Sea Fleet from Ukrainian territory within the time stipulated by the agreement on the status and conditions of the Black Sea Fleet of Russia in the country. " This is stated in published today, "Annual National Program for the year 2009 for the preparation of Ukraine to membership in NATO."

Among the priorities for this year's program provided "further work on the demarcation of state borders and to intensify cross-border cooperation." Complete the contractual and legal clearance and demarcation of the State Border of Ukraine is obliged to "medium term". In the document the Ukrainian party also undertakes to prepare and approve the terms of a visa-free regime with the EU until 2010 with the definition of criteria whose implementation will make it possible to abolish visa regime with EU member states.

Ukraine and NATO signed on Aug. 21 in Brussels Declaration to supplement the Charter on a Distinctive Partnership between Ukraine and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. It notes that the process of deepening the reforms in the Ukraine to join NATO will be implemented in the framework of the implementation of annual national programs. The first such program for 2009 approved by President Viktor Yushchenko on August 7 this year.

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This is a joke. If Yuschenko falls out of presidency, which in the polls shows a guarantee......Then what becomes of all this? He ruined a country, ruined partnership with their neighbor and all for what? To please USA? As time goes on and this joker keeps going on with his attitude like Shakadouchefag did, kind of shows what stupid game the west is playing, and it is blatantly obvious too. At least during the Bush admin. I dunno about you, but when you have a big economical bear sitting next to you, in comparison to some piss ant country like Poland (Hey, I am half polish, I think I am given a right to say such comments), who would you choose for? Not a very hard choice, no.

NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen has said that the development of the first Annual National Program is an important step on Ukraine's path to becoming a member of the Alliance.

The Secretary General said this in his opening remarks at the High-Level NATO-Ukraine Consultations in Brussels on Monday, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry's press service reported.

According to Rasmussen, to reflect the spirit of deepening cooperation, Ukraine has developed its first Annual National Program which outlines the steps it intends to take to accelerate internal reform and alignment with Euro-Atlantic standards.

"That is important. And it is important not because NATO thinks so, but because it will help Ukraine to modernise, to the benefit of the Ukrainian people. And we are committed to support and assist Ukraine in that journey," the secretary general said.

Ukraine's Acting Defense Minister Valeriy Ivaschenko, in turn, said that the time following the historical decision passed at the NATO Summit in Bucharest, when NATO agreed that Ukraine will become a member of the Alliance, was efficiently used by Ukraine to continue implementing the comprehensive and practicable plans of reforming Ukraine's armed forces.

This is bothering. If Ukraine joins NATO, it can lead to future aggression from Russia. We have learned in the past that a surrounded Russia is an angry and aggressive Russia. The more angry and aggressive it is, the more likely an armed conflict can happen. NATO with its Anti-Russian rhetorics is becoming more obvious and it is moving closer to her borders.

So what can Russia do? Now that NATO is moving closer and closer? Is it inevitable to say that Kazakhstan and Belarus could join NATO like Ukraine is? I doubt 20 years ago people thought of that. Russia needs to do something, and when I say something, I mean use allies in other countries as a form of intelligence and survaillance (as well as a possible quick strike) capabilities. Latin America is moving closer to Russia, Russia needs to use that to her advantage. Decrease land based nukes and increase SSBN's.

I see problems in the future, and Ukraine is just adding to it. Ukraine cannot even feed her own troops and barely equip them, but they are hoping for US to come in and save the day. What a joke geopolitics is becoming.

Edit: We will see and find out what happens in the next Ukrainian election. Hopefully someone else with a head on their shoulders will get in power (highly doubt it). But at least Victor Douchenko will not be in power

No change in Ukraine-NATO relations - Yanukovych

RIA Novosti

001/03/201014:36

BRUSSELS, March 1 (RIA Novosti) - Ukraine's relations with NATO will remain unchanged, President Viktor Yanukovych said on Monday.

He also said the former Soviet republic would maintain its partnership with NATO, adding that Ukraine's neutral status would be unaltered.

Yanukovych said earlier this week his administration would not continue with former president Viktor Yushchenko's bid to take Ukraine into NATO, and would prioritize long-established relations with Russia and other former Soviet states.

Yushchenko's attempt to take Ukraine into NATO was strongly backed by the administration of U.S. President George W. Bush.

But despite Washington's enthusiasm, it was turned down at a 2008 NATO summit in Bucharest due to pressure from Germany and France, who were concerned that the move would antagonize Russia. However, NATO has stated that the country could join at an unspecified date in the future.

Opinion polls conducted in Ukraine show that the majority of people are against the country's accession to NATO.

http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/library/news/ukraine/2010/ukraine-100301-rianovosti02.htm

Now that NATO whiping boy Yushenko is gone, Ukraine is once again under our domination. Black Fleet stays and no invasion of Ukraine is needed.

Ukraine will not join military blocs - Yanukovych

RIA Novosti

25/03/201017:36

KIEV, March 25 (RIA Novosti) - Ukraine will not choose in favor of one particular collective security system, Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych said on Thursday.

Unlike his predecessor Viktor Yushenko, who sought to improve ties with America and join NATO, Yanukovych is expected to abandon pro-Western policy in Ukraine.

"Today Ukraine should not make a choice between one of the systems of collective security, which operate in the continent," he said.

"A move in either direction would endanger our national defense and would strain our foreign relations. This would escalate the political and social tension we have seen in recent years, and could tip the balance of power in Europe."

He said that for the moment Ukraine will seek good relations with all international blocs of collective defense without joining them.

http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/library/news/ukraine/2010/ukraine-100325-rianovosti01.htm

http://www.janes.com/article/47033/ukraine-in-new-push-for-nato-membership

NATO membership would cut most political ties with Russia and most economic ones as well.
The EU and NATO would find itself in a position where it had to prop up the country for the foreseeable future.... and much more importantly those in the eastern regions would gain more support to separate from the Ukraine and seek better economic and political relations with Russia.

It would also not likely make the Ukraine safer... it is already safe... Russia doesn't want to carry the Ukraine any more... Medvedev said as much recently... "We are not going to support Ukraine's economy anymore. It is a burden for us. And to be honest, we are tired of it," Medvedev said in his opinion piece in the Monday issue of Russia's Nezavisimaya Gazeta newspaper."

http://sputniknews.com/politics/20141215/1015836648.html

Imagine Mexico joining the SCO. Imagine the bitching and whining (and bombing).

I prefer Ukraine in no EU membership. NATO instead. Like for Sweden and Finland must for Ukraine.

Battalion0415 wrote:I prefer Ukraine in no EU membership. NATO instead. Like for Sweden and Finland must for Ukraine.

It seems you have a passion to see NATO constantly in Russian borders

Battalion0415 wrote:I prefer Ukraine in no EU membership. NATO instead. Like for Sweden and Finland must for Ukraine.

You want Ukraine to be in NATO so the US can place ABM's against Russia so we see the beginning of the end of Human civilization? Only the most foolhardy would support this measure.

RIGA, Latvia: The European Union and Ukraine have signed a 1.8 billion euro ($2 billion) loan deal in an effort to help revive the cash-strapped country's economy.

EU and Ukrainian officials signed the agreement Friday at a summit of leaders of EU nations and six post-Soviet countries.

The deal requires Ukraine to adopt a series of reforms including anti-corruption measures to remedy structural problems in its economy.

Ukraine's economy contracted by nearly 18 percent in the first quarter of 2015 from a year earlier as the country struggled with the impact of unrest in the industrial heartland of the east.

At the Riga summit, the EU also promised grants of 200 million euros ($223 million) to support small and medium-sized businesses in Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova.

Ukraine, NATO sign deal on alliance’s greater presence in country

The agreement is aimed at strengthening cooperation between Kiev and the alliance in the sphere of strategic communications, naval issues and carrying out special operations

KIEV, September 22. /TASS/. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and the Ukrainian side have signed agreements on increasing the alliance’s presence in Ukraine, the country’s President Petro Poroshenko said on Tuesday.

"Three important agreements have been signed. An agreement on the status of NATO’s office in Ukraine, the declaration on extending cooperation with NATO and a road map in the sphere of strategic communications," the president said.

The civilian and military offices of the alliance will be united and have greater powers and functions.

The agreements are aimed at strengthening cooperation between Kiev and the alliance in the sphere of strategic communications, naval issues and carrying out special operations.

The alliance earlier said it would continue increasing the military presence in Eastern Europe. NATO will give more powers to the Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces in Europe, boost the response force to 40,000 troops and deploy additional weapons in the east.

Ukraine may legislatively formalize priority of getting NATO membership

Verkhovna Rada Chairman Andriy Parubiy has launched an initiative to formalize at the legislative level the provisions that Ukraine's membership in NATO is a priority of the country's foreign policy.

This opinion was expressed by Parubiy after he attended a meeting of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly in Tbilisi and as well as the result of his extremely fruitful communication with allies and partners from the North Atlantic alliance, the website of the Verkhovna Rada reported.

The speaker also said the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine registered bill No. 6470, which proposes amending the law of Ukraine on the fundamentals of domestic and foreign policy and the law on the fundamentals of national security of Ukraine

He recalled that this year Ukraine celebrates the 20th anniversary of the Charter on a Distinctive Partnership with NATO. Parubiy said he called on the parliamentary factions to adopt bill soon.

In turn, First Deputy Chair of Verkhovna Rada Iryna Gerashchenko said she believes Ukraine and Georgia should become 30th and 31rd members of NATO respectively. "This is what I see as my goal as a politician and that's why I've been engaged in politics for ten years only in the pro-NATO and pro-European camp," she wrote on her Facebook page.

http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/426262.html

So I guess they will have to give up Crimea entirely and Donetsk and lugansk for Ukraine and Abkhazia and South Ossetia for Georgia because part of NATO agreements is no territorial conflicts.

Add to that, there are a lot of nations whom are uneasy with Ukraine as is. Georgia has a much better chance getting in and they aren't. Ukraine is a basket case that the west is now distancing itself but I don't think these politicians in the Rasa have caught the hint yet.

Quite sad really.

miketheterrible wrote:So I guess they will have to give up Crimea entirely and Donetsk and lugansk for Ukraine and Abkhazia and South Ossetia for Georgia because part of NATO agreements is no territorial conflicts.

Add to that, there are a lot of nations whom are uneasy with Ukraine as is. Georgia has a much better chance getting in and they aren't. Ukraine is a basket case that the west is now distancing itself but I don't think these politicians in the Rasa have caught the hint yet.

Quite sad really.

Both have very bad prospect. The prospect of Georgia is even worse than the prospect of Ukraine.

Wishful thinking Ukraine hasn't got the money to get up to NATO standards only way is massive handouts of equipment and money and will NATO countries be willing to pay for this ? I highly doubt it

https://www.rt.com/news/395894-ukraine-nato-membership-roadmap/