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Germany’s defense chief says NATO may remove some hurdles on Kiev’s way to membership

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said earlier that Ukraine would not be able to join the alliance as long as the military conflict rages on

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius AP Photo/Markus Schreiber

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius

© AP Photo/Markus Schreiber

BRUSSELS, June 16. /TASS/. NATO allies may agree on facilitated procedures for Ukraine’s admission to the alliance as soon as the Ukrainian conflict ends, Reuters quoted German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius as saying on Friday.

"There are increasing signs that everyone will be able to agree on this," Pistorius said, commenting on reports that the US is open to permitting Ukraine to forgo formal candidacy procedures. "I would be open for this," Pistorius told reporters on the sidelines of a NATO defense ministers' meeting in Brussels.

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said earlier that Ukraine would not be able to join the alliance as long as the military conflict rages on.

In its turn, Ukraine has demanded that the North Atlantic Alliance give clear promises on any membership prospects by its summit in Vilnius. For the time being, a formula adopted at the NATO summit in Bucharest back in April 2008 has been in place for Kiev. Under it, NATO should welcome Ukraine and Georgia into the Membership Action Plan as soon as both meet the necessary criteria. No timeframes for joining the military bloc or any other accession parameters were given then.

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