Ukraine says NO to NATO

Ukraine’s President Viktor Yanukovich has signed a decree that cancels the country’s previous plans to join the North Atlantic alliance.

The decree that frames major principals of Ukraine’s foreign policy, declares that the country remains non-aligned to any political-military unions but continues to cooperate with NATO and other blocks based upon common interests.

The document also excludes Ukraine’s integration into the Euro-Atlantic security zone, while setting course on close cooperation aimed at the development and improvement of the collective security system.

Alongside this, the document deals with the language issue in the country and indemnifies Russian and other non-state languages of national minorities residing in Ukraine.

Ukraine has long been bidding to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and in December 2008 almost made it into the block when it was granted a national plan to join the Alliance.

However, the national course was changed when Viktor Yanukovich headed the state and declared Ukraine was no longer interested in entering the block.