Permanent Representative Hutchison: United States supports Ukraine's aspirations to NATO membership

12.04.2018 14:15

Ukrinform

U.S. Permanent Representative to NATO Kay Bailey Hutchison says that the United States supports Ukraine's aspirations to NATO membership and considers the implementation of the Annual National Programs as real step to make progress along this path.

Ambassador Hutchison said this at the 11th Kyiv Security Forum, organized by Arseniy Yatsenyuk's The Open Ukraine Foundation, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"Accession to NATO membership is a long one for many countries. Nothing is going to happen instantly. The Annual National Program is the next step the NATO and Ukraine can do together. The Annual National Program is a good tool for Ukraine to continue making progress in obtaining membership in NATO. We want your membership in NATO, let me assure you,” Hutchison said.

Speaking about Russia’s reaction to Ukraine’s possible NATO membership she said it “won’t be good.”

“There’s no question, and we saw in Montenegro that Russia gets pretty aggressive when country starts looking towards joining NATO,” the Permanent Representative of the United States to NATO said.

Russia is using hybrid warfare, cyber warfare to destabilize the situation in countries that might be looking at NATO membership or NATO partnerships, Ambassador Hutchison added.