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NATO members discuss dropping membership action plan for Ukraine — secretary general

"The most urgent task now is to ensure that Ukraine prevails as a sovereign and independent nation in Europe because, unless Ukraine prevails, there’s no membership that should be discussed at all," Jens Stoltenberg added

© Sean Gallup/Getty Images

VILNIUS, July 10. /TASS/. NATO member countries are still discussing whether to drop the requirement for Ukraine to execute a membership action plan, meaning they haven’t made a final decision yet, Jens Stoltenberg, the bloc’s secretary general, said on Monday.

"We a building on the package that was launched in Oslo of practical support to enable full interoperability between Ukrainian forces and NATO forces, stronger political ties within NATO-Ukraine Council and then the removal of the membership action plan," he said at a news conference in Vilnius. "Of course, this is about moving Ukraine closer to membership but again the final decisions will be taken when we all agree and the leaders meet tomorrow.

"Now we are discussing these elements, this package and also finalizing the discussions and the negotiations on the precise language," Stoltenberg said.

"The most urgent task now is to ensure that Ukraine prevails as a sovereign and independent nation in Europe because, unless Ukraine prevails, there’s no membership that should be discussed at all," Stoltenberg continued. "It is extremely important that we continue to ensure that allies are providing weapons, ammunition, training, spare parts."

According to the secretary general, consultations on the issue will continue later on Monday.

He also reiterated that, "It is for the allies and Ukraine to decide when the time is right to invite Ukraine to be a full member."

Earlier on Monday, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba said on Twitter that NATO member countries had agreed to drop the requirement for Ukraine to execute a membership action plan before it could join the bloc. The last time the issue of giving Ukraine a MAP came under serious discussion was at the summit in Bucharest in 2008.

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Ukraine crisis Ukraine NATO

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