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A Tilt Toward NATO in Ukraine as Parliament Meets A Tilt Toward NATO in Ukraine as Parliament Meets
(about 2 hours later)
MOSCOW — As Ukraine’s new Parliament, firmly controlled by a coalition of pro-Western parties, convened for the first time on Thursday, President Petro O. Poroshenko urged lawmakers to repeal a 2010 law that codified the country’s nonaligned status in global affairs, and to instead pursue membership in NATO. MOSCOW — As Ukraine’s new Parliament, firmly controlled by a coalition of pro-Western parties, convened for the first time on Thursday, President Petro O. Poroshenko urged lawmakers to repeal a 2010 law that codified the country’s nonaligned status in global affairs, and to instead pursue membership in NATO.
The Parliament, in two of its most important initial actions, chose Volodymyr Groysman, a close ally of Mr. Poroshenko, as speaker and also re-elected Arseniy P. Yatsenyuk, a technocrat well-loved in the West, as prime minister.The Parliament, in two of its most important initial actions, chose Volodymyr Groysman, a close ally of Mr. Poroshenko, as speaker and also re-elected Arseniy P. Yatsenyuk, a technocrat well-loved in the West, as prime minister.
Mr. Poroshenko’s remarks were sure to antagonize Russia, which annexed Crimea in March and has supported violent, pro-Russian separatists in the eastern Ukrainian cities of Donetsk and Luhansk, in part because of the Kremlin’s opposition to any move by Ukraine toward NATO.Mr. Poroshenko’s remarks were sure to antagonize Russia, which annexed Crimea in March and has supported violent, pro-Russian separatists in the eastern Ukrainian cities of Donetsk and Luhansk, in part because of the Kremlin’s opposition to any move by Ukraine toward NATO.
“Today it is clear that the nonalignment status of Ukraine proclaimed in 2010 couldn’t guarantee our security and territorial integrity,” Mr. Poroshenko told the Parliament. “This position has led to serious losses. That’s why we’ve decided to return to the course of NATO integration.”“Today it is clear that the nonalignment status of Ukraine proclaimed in 2010 couldn’t guarantee our security and territorial integrity,” Mr. Poroshenko told the Parliament. “This position has led to serious losses. That’s why we’ve decided to return to the course of NATO integration.”
Earlier this month, Dmitri S. Peskov, the chief spokesman for the Russian president, Vladimir V. Putin, pointedly underlined Russia’s position in an interview with the BBC, saying: “We would like to hear a 100 percent guarantee that no one would think about Ukraine’s joining NATO. We would like to hear that NATO would discontinue to approach Russian borders, that NATO will discontinue attempts to break the balance, the balance of power. But unfortunately we fail to hear these words.”Earlier this month, Dmitri S. Peskov, the chief spokesman for the Russian president, Vladimir V. Putin, pointedly underlined Russia’s position in an interview with the BBC, saying: “We would like to hear a 100 percent guarantee that no one would think about Ukraine’s joining NATO. We would like to hear that NATO would discontinue to approach Russian borders, that NATO will discontinue attempts to break the balance, the balance of power. But unfortunately we fail to hear these words.”
With the war still simmering in eastern Ukraine, officials in Kiev have been struggling to put together the new government and stabilize the country, particularly its economy, which has been on the verge of collapse for months.With the war still simmering in eastern Ukraine, officials in Kiev have been struggling to put together the new government and stabilize the country, particularly its economy, which has been on the verge of collapse for months.
The choice of Mr. Groysman, a former mayor of the central Ukrainian city of Vinnytsya, highlighted the enhanced sway that Mr. Poroshenko commands over the new Parliament, which was elected in October.The choice of Mr. Groysman, a former mayor of the central Ukrainian city of Vinnytsya, highlighted the enhanced sway that Mr. Poroshenko commands over the new Parliament, which was elected in October.
A strong showing by Mr. Yatsenyuk’s Popular Front party, however, had all but assured that he would remain as prime minister, despite a rivalry between him and Mr. Poroshenko.A strong showing by Mr. Yatsenyuk’s Popular Front party, however, had all but assured that he would remain as prime minister, despite a rivalry between him and Mr. Poroshenko.