Ukraine–NATO relations

NATO expands presence in Eastern Europe

Recent security threats have prompted NATO to heighten readiness in Eastern Europe, Balkan security experts say.

NATO defence ministers agreed to open new command centres in Eastern Europe, Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg announced on February 5th in Brussels. [AFP]

The NATO alliance should increase its pressure on Russia over Ukraine, Turkey's parliament speaker has said, describing tension between NATO and Russia on the issue as a "fault line."

NATO was set Feb. 5 to agree a major boost to its defences including six bases in eastern Europe and a spearhead force of 5,000 troops in response to what it called Russian aggression in Ukraine.
      

The Minister of National Defence Panos Kammenos accompanied by the Chief of HNDGS General Michail Kostarakos met on Wednesday with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and NATO Deputy Secretary General Alexander Vershbow at NATO Headquarters, Brussels.

The Minister of National Defence stated the following:

Following the Mariupol attack on Saturday, an extraordinary ambassadorial meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Commission took place in Brussels on Monday.

Leaving combat operations in Afghanistan behind, NATO is shifting its focus to Europe in 2015 and the creation of its new ultra-rapid-reaction force, designed as a deterrent to Russia.
     
The priority for the 28-member alliance will be to get the new agile expeditionary force into operation, but also settling the question of who will pay for it, analysts say.
     

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a new military doctrine, naming NATO expansion among key external risks, the Kremlin said on Dec. 26, days after Ukraine made fresh steps to join the Atlantic military alliance.
   

Ukraine's membership "distant future" - NATO chief

MOSCOW -- "Ukraine can only submit an application for joining NATO after it conducts all the necessary reforms," NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has said.

Ukraine's Parliament on Tuesday decided to abandon the country's non-aligned status in favour of building closer ties with NATO.

...

NATO countries and Ukraine strongly condemned on Dec. 2 a Russian military build-up in Crimea, accusing Russia of “deliberate destabilization” of eastern Ukraine.