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Ukraine votes to drop non-aligned status | Ukraine votes to drop non-aligned status |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Ukraine's parliament has voted to drop the country's non-aligned status and work towards Nato membership. | Ukraine's parliament has voted to drop the country's non-aligned status and work towards Nato membership. |
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called the move "counterproductive" and said it would boost tensions. | Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called the move "counterproductive" and said it would boost tensions. |
The BBC's David Stern in Kiev says it is not clear when Ukraine will apply for Nato membership and many officials see it as a distant prospect. | The BBC's David Stern in Kiev says it is not clear when Ukraine will apply for Nato membership and many officials see it as a distant prospect. |
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko pledged to seek Nato membership over Russian support for rebels in the east. | Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko pledged to seek Nato membership over Russian support for rebels in the east. |
Russia, which annexed the Crimean peninsula in March, denies supplying the rebels with weapons. However, it is subject to EU and US sanctions over the crisis. | Russia, which annexed the Crimean peninsula in March, denies supplying the rebels with weapons. However, it is subject to EU and US sanctions over the crisis. |
In a vote in Ukraine's parliament on Tuesday, MPs overwhelmingly backed the move by 303 to eight. | In a vote in Ukraine's parliament on Tuesday, MPs overwhelmingly backed the move by 303 to eight. |
Speaking before the vote, Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin said Ukraine was determined to pivot towards Europe and the West. | Speaking before the vote, Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin said Ukraine was determined to pivot towards Europe and the West. |
"This will lead to integration in the European and the Euro-Atlantic space," he said. | "This will lead to integration in the European and the Euro-Atlantic space," he said. |
The non-aligned status, which Ukraine adopted in 2010 under Russian pressure, prevents states from joining military alliances. | The non-aligned status, which Ukraine adopted in 2010 under Russian pressure, prevents states from joining military alliances. |
Analysis: Steve Rosenberg, BBC News, Moscow | |
For the Kremlin, the idea that Ukraine might one day join the European Union is like a bad dream. But the thought of Ukraine joining Nato is a nightmare. | |
Russia has long complained about Nato "expanding" east, up to Russia's borders. The Kremlin would view Ukraine's membership of the alliance as a direct threat to its national security. | |
That's unlikely to happen any time soon, especially with the conflict continuing in eastern Ukraine. | |
But Moscow has been quick to denounce the Ukrainian parliament for renouncing the country's non-aligned status. | |
Today's vote in the Rada, Ukraine's parliament, certainly drives another wedge between Kiev and Moscow. And it may complicate efforts to resolve the current crisis. | |
But critics of the Kremlin argue that it is Russia's direct involvement in the conflict in eastern Ukraine which is pushing Kiev closer to Nato. | |
Addressing foreign ambassadors on Monday night, President Poroshenko said Ukraine's "fight for its independence, territorial integrity and sovereignty has turned into a decisive factor in our relations with the world". | Addressing foreign ambassadors on Monday night, President Poroshenko said Ukraine's "fight for its independence, territorial integrity and sovereignty has turned into a decisive factor in our relations with the world". |
Russia has made clear that it opposes Ukraine's move towards Nato. | |
Andrei Kelin, Russia's envoy to the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), said on Tuesday: "It's an unfriendly step towards us. This political vector will only add to nuisances and acuteness in ties." | Andrei Kelin, Russia's envoy to the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), said on Tuesday: "It's an unfriendly step towards us. This political vector will only add to nuisances and acuteness in ties." |
Fragile ceasefire | Fragile ceasefire |
In a Facebook post on Monday, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev warned that Ukraine's rejection of neutrality would have "negative consequences". | In a Facebook post on Monday, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev warned that Ukraine's rejection of neutrality would have "negative consequences". |
"In essence, an application for Nato membership will turn Ukraine into a potential military opponent for Russia," he wrote. | "In essence, an application for Nato membership will turn Ukraine into a potential military opponent for Russia," he wrote. |
A Nato spokesman in Brussels said on Tuesday that any accession to the alliance would probably take years, Reuters reported. | A Nato spokesman in Brussels said on Tuesday that any accession to the alliance would probably take years, Reuters reported. |
Some Nato members are also lukewarm towards accepting Ukraine, says the BBC's David Stern in Kiev. | |
The roots of the current conflict go back to Ukraine's pro-EU street protests at the end of last year that led to the fall of Russian-leaning President Viktor Yanukovych in February. | The roots of the current conflict go back to Ukraine's pro-EU street protests at the end of last year that led to the fall of Russian-leaning President Viktor Yanukovych in February. |
After Crimea was annexed, pro-Russian separatists seized parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of eastern Ukraine and later declared independence. | After Crimea was annexed, pro-Russian separatists seized parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of eastern Ukraine and later declared independence. |
Since then, nearly 5,000 people have died and another million have been displaced by fighting. | Since then, nearly 5,000 people have died and another million have been displaced by fighting. |
A ceasefire was signed by both sides in Minsk in September but observers says some fighting is continuing. | A ceasefire was signed by both sides in Minsk in September but observers says some fighting is continuing. |