Decision on Ukraine's right to join NATO stands - Stoltenberg

"NATO decided at the NATO Summit in Bucharest in 2008. I was there myself in a different capacity. I remember we decided then that Ukraine and Georgia will become members of NATO. This decision still stands. At the same time, we have not put in place any exact timetable. What we focus now is how we can help both Georgia and Ukraine move towards Euro-Atlantic integration, implement reforms, modernize defense and security institutions," he said at the "NATO Engages: Innovating the Alliance" conference in London on Tuesday.

According to Stoltenberg, there are intermediate stages of cooperation with NATO on the path to full membership of the Alliance.

He said that NATO's cooperation with Ukraine and Georgia is now beneficial to all parties, since, on the one hand, NATO is helping these countries move closer to NATO, and on the other hand, these countries are participating in NATO-led missions, in particular, in Afghanistan.

A declaration recognizing Ukraine's right to join NATO was adopted at the NATO Summit in Bucharest in April 2008.

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