Poroshenko expects Parliament to ‘anchor Ukraine in NATO’s harbor’ in February

"Today, Ukraine's aspiration towards rapprochement with the North Atlantic Alliance takes on a new significance. Anchoring Ukraine in a ‘NATO’s harbor’ is the only way to put the Kremlin off provoking an escalation in Ukrainian direction once and for. I hope we will do this at the level of Ukrainian legislation immediately after the beginning of the next session of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine," President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko said at a meeting of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine on Wednesday, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

Poroshenko stressed that he would ask the Ukrainian lawmakers in February "to finally vote for the constitutional amendments proclaiming obligatory the course towards joining the European Union and NATO."

"It is obligatory for the President and for the Government, for the Parliament and for the society," the President added.

As reported, on November 22, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine passed in the first reading the presidential bill No. 9037 on constitutional amendments for enshrining the strategic course of the country towards full membership in the European Union and NATO.