Ukraine paves way for NATO membership

Ukraine’s president has signed into law a bill that drops the country’s nonaligned status, paving the way for Kiev’s membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

On Monday, Petro Poroshenko signed the bill, which allows the country to drop its nonaligned status and join military alliances.

The bill was ratified in Ukraine’s parliament last week with a majority of 303 votes against 8.

Poroshenko has vowed to reform Ukraine’s wavering economy and improve the country’s underfunded military before seeking NATO membership.

“When we are able to conform to these criteria, the people of Ukraine will make up their mind about the membership,” he said during a press conference in Kiev on Monday.

Meanwhile, the government in Moscow denounced the bill as a serious threat to both Russia and Europe’s security.

Ukraine and Russia are in a serious row as Kiev and its Western allies accuse Moscow of supporting pro-Russia forces in east Ukraine, saying the Russian intervention poses a security threat to Ukraine and all other neighboring states. Russia categorically denies the allegation.

The two mainly Russian-speaking regions of Donetsk and Lugansk in eastern Ukraine have been the scene of deadly clashes between pro-Russia protesters and the Ukrainian army since Kiev’s military operation started in mid-April in a bid to crush the protests.

Violence intensified in May after the two flashpoint regions held local referendums in which their residents voted overwhelmingly in favor of independence from Ukraine and joining the Russian Federation.