Referendum on joining NATO to be held when necessary criteria met - Poroshenko

KYIV, September 22 /Ukrinform/. The national referendum on Ukraine's joining NATO will be held after all the necessary conditions for accession are created.

President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko said this, opening the meeting of the National Security and Defense Council with participation of NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in Kyiv, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"I will make decision on the referendum, when we create all the conditions to meet the criteria for NATO membership through the reforms in the country," he said.

The president stressed that the Euro-Atlantic choice with the prospect for the NATO membership gained growing support of the Ukrainian society.

"Two years ago, the policy of the Euro-Atlantic integration was supported by 16% of Ukrainians. A year ago, this figure was rapidly approaching 50%. Currently, the number of Ukrainians, who support the Euro-Atlantic integration, has already exceeded 60%. This means that the Ukrainian people support the Euro-Atlantic choice," the President said.

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