Yermak: Ukraine absolutely ready to become NATO member

Ukraine has proved its stance and principled approach, especially over the recent years of confronting Russia's armed aggression, and is ready to join NATO.

"I think now is the time to have a very honest, full-fledged, transparent conversation with Ukraine about our NATO prospects," Head of the President's Office Andriy Yermak said during an online conversation organized by the Atlantic Council on January 14, an Ukrinform correspondent reported.

He stressed that over the years of cooperation with the North Atlantic Alliance and resistance to Russian aggression, Ukraine "has shown through its principles and stance that we are absolutely ready, capable of being a NATO member."

Yermak also noted that Ukraine hoped to "see and hear very specific deadlines, very specific information on the matter" during the NATO Madrid Summit in June.

As reported, Russia demanded that the North Atlantic Alliance, in particular, must deprive Ukraine and Georgia of their NATO membership prospects, officially announced at the Bucharest Summit in 2008. Instead, after recent talks with the Russians this week, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that NATO would not abandon its open door policy for other nations.