Question of whether Ukraine can join NATO already resolved on principle – British Ambassador
The question of whether Ukraine can join NATO has already been resolved on principle, but much work needs to be done first on the institutional reforms required to obtain membership.
This was stated by the British Ambassador to Ukraine, Melinda Simmons, who spoke with BBC News Ukraine, according to Ukrinform.
NATO countries support Ukraine's aspirations to join the Alliance, the ambassador stressed, adding that the question of whether Ukraine can join has already been resolved on principle.
The remaining question, Simmons explained, is what is needed to make this happen.
She added that talks with the Ukrainian side are held regularly, but ho shifts are visible.
According to Simmons, one of her tasks as ambassador to the NATO Liaison Embassy is to engage in dialogue with Ukraine, support and assist the country on its path to membership.
The diplomat praised Ukraine's involvement and participation in NATO operations, everything is fine, and progress is obvious, but there is still a lot of work to be done on the institutional reforms required by membership.
One of them is institutional reform in the field of defense, the ambassador said, noting her consistent efforts to emphasize that while it is very important to fight at the front, it is also important to have a reliable support system in the rear where progress must be made.
The Membership Action Plan makes it clear that there are concomitant reforms that also need to be made, Simmons stressed.
This is judicial reform and security sector reform, said the ambassador.
As Ukrinform reported earlier, the NATO heads of state and government at the June 14 summit in Brussels reaffirmed the decision of the Bucharest (2008) summit that Ukraine would become a member of NATO, as well as strong support for Ukraine's right to decide its own future without external interference.
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