Ukraine-NATO relations

Ukraine and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) relations officially began when Ukraine became the first CIS country to enter NATO's Partnership for Peace program in February 1995.Serhy Yekelchyk "Ukraine: Birth of a Modern Nation", Oxford University Press (2007), ISBN 9780195305463] In 2002 relations with the governments of the United States and other NATO countries deteriorated after one of the recordings made during the Cassette Scandal revealed an alleged transfer of a sophisticated Ukrainian defence system to Saddam Hussein's Iraq. President Kuchma's declaration that Ukraine wanted to join NATO (also in 2002) could not mend relations. Nor did the sending of Ukrainian troops to Iraq in 2003.

The current government's proposal for Ukraine to join NATO's Membership Action Plan was met with opposition. Currently, the Ukrainian Armed Forces are working with NATO in Iraq. [ [http://www.mil.gov.ua/index.php?lang=en&part=peacekeeping&sub=iraq Armed Forces of Ukraine, Ukrainian peacekeeping personnel as a part of Multinational forces in Iraq (from Dec 2005) and NATO Training Mission in Iraq (NTM-I) (from Feb 2006)] ] An information campaign by the government is under way. [ [http://www.day.kiev.ua/202220/ Our Ukraine launches large-scale NATO information project /ДЕНЬ/ ] ] As of September 2008, public opinion in Ukraine was opposed to Ukraine joining NATO. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7324283.stm BBC NEWS | Europe | Ukraine risks Russian hostility ] ] [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7456504.stm BBC NEWS | Europe | Ukraine pushes for Nato schedule ] ] A poll conducted in June 2008 by the Fund for Public Opinion showed that 55% of Ukrainian respondents were against NATO membership, with only 22% in favor. [ [http://www.unian.net/eng/news/news-267760.html Ukraine's NATO accession: politics as usual : Ukraine News by UNIAN] ] A more recent poll conducted in September 2008 by the Taylor Nelson Sofrez Ukraine agency showed that opposition for NATO membership grew following the recent conflict in Georgia, with 63% of those polled saying they were opposed to membership. [cite journal |url= http://www.jamestown.org/edm/article.php?article_id=2373355 |title= Surprising and Contradictory Opinions on the Ukrainian Streets |publisher= Jamestown foundation|accessdate= 2008-09-21 |date= September 10, 2008 |journal= Eurasia Daily Monitor |first= Roman |last= Kupchinsky] A petition of over 2 million signatures has called for a referendum on Ukraine's membership proposal to join NATO. The opposition have called for a national referendum to be held on any steps towards further involvement with NATO. In February 2008 57.8% of Ukrainians supported the idea of a national referendum on joining NATO, against 38.6% in February 2007. [ [http://www.interfax.com.ua/en/press-center/press-conference/106882/ Half of Ukrainians opposed to Ukraine's membership of NATO, poll indicates - Interfax Ukraine] ]

Ukrainian governments proposal to join MAP

On January 16, 2008 United States Senator Richard Lugar announced: "Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko, Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko and Parliamentary Chairman Arseniy Yatsenyuk have signed the statement calling for consideration on Ukraine`s entry into the NATO membership action plan at the Bucharest summit." [ [http://www.unian.net/eng/news/news-231009.html Ukraine asks to join NATO membership action plan : Ukraine News by UNIAN ] ]

The Ukrainian parliament headed by chairman Arseniy Yatsenyuk was unable to hold its regular parliamentary session following the decision of the Parliamentary Opposition to prevent the parliament from functioning in a protest against joining NATO. The parliament was blocked from January 25, 2008 [ [http://www.unian.net/eng/news/news-232630.html Party of Regions blocks rostrum in parliament : Ukraine News by UNIAN ] ] till March 4, 2008 (at 29 February 2008 factions leaders agreed on a protocol of mutual understanding) [ [http://www.unian.net/eng/news/news-238859.html Verkhovna Rada to resume work on Tuesday – Yatseniuk : Ukraine News by UNIAN ] ] . US President George W. Bush and both most important (presumptive) nominees for President of the United States in the 2008 election, U.S. senator Barack Obama and U.S. senator John McCain, have offered backing to Ukraine's membership of NATO. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7322830.stm BBC NEWS | Europe | Bush to back Ukraine's Nato hopes ] ] [ [http://obama.senate.gov/press/080128-obama_statement_118/ Obama Statement on Ukraine's Commitment to Join NATO | U.S. Senator Barack Obama ] ] [ [http://www.nysun.com/national/mccain-backs-tougher-line-against-russia/73750/ McCain Backs Tougher Line Against Russia - March 27, 2008 - The New York Sun ] ] Russia is fiercely opposed to any eastward expansion of NATO. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7324035.stm BBC NEWS | Europe | Bush backs Ukraine on Nato bid ] ] On 12 February 2008 Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia may target its missiles at Ukraine if its neighbour joins NATO and accepts the deployment of a US missile defence shield. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7241470.stm BBC NEWS | Europe | Russia in Ukraine missile threat ] ]

2008 Bucharest summit

At the NATO summit 2008 (3 April 2008) NATO decided it will not yet offer membership to Georgia or Ukraine. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7328276.stm BBC NEWS | Europe | Nato denies Georgia and Ukraine ] ]

References

ee also

*Crimean anti-NATO protests of 2006
*Georgia and NATO
*Ukraine and the European Union

External links

* [http://www.nato.int NATO official site]