14 june 2010 10:21
US hopes Ukraine will continue practical cooperation with NATO
The United States expects Ukraine to continue its practical cooperation with the North Atlantic alliance, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Dan Russell said in an interview with the Dzerkalo Tyzhnia (Mirror Weekly) newspaper, UKRINFORM reported.
The diplomat said that Ukraine had the right to carry out an independent foreign policy, and the task of the United States was to strengthen the relations between the two countries.
"If Kyiv decides not to seek membership of NATO, the CSTO [Collective Security Treaty Organization], or the Customs Union [of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan], this is a choice of Ukraine," Russell said. "At the same time, the NATO secretary general again said that doors to Ukraine's membership of the alliance remained open. We hope that Ukraine's practical cooperation with NATO will continue. Frankly speaking, the latter is the most important. This meets Ukraine's interests," he added.
Ura-Inform