Ukraine closer to NATO now, says secretary general

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has said that the member countries will continue to assist Ukraine in carrying out the necessary reforms, after which it will be able to become a full member of the alliance.

"Ukraine's future lies in NATO. At the Vilnius Summit, allies agreed on a multi-year program to help Ukraine transition from the Soviet era to NATO equipment and standards, as well as army interoperability. Ukraine is closer to NATO now than ever before, and we will continue to support it in making the necessary reforms on the path to membership," Stoltenberg said in an interview with Hungarian Index.

Jens Stoltenberg noted that a special platform, the Ukraine-NATO Council, had been set up to address issues related to Ukraine's accession to the alliance. "The allies shortened Ukraine's path to membership from a two-step process to a one-step process by removing the requirement for a Membership Action Plan for Ukraine."