RT.com
04 Feb 2023, 23:43 GMT+10
Kiev's membership in the US-led military bloc is not on the table for now, the French Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said
Ukraine's accession to NATO is not being discussed right now, given the ongoing hostilities between Moscow and Kiev, the French Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said on Saturday.
Speaking to the Russian RTVI Channel, Anne-Claire Legendre was asked about Ukraine's bids to join the European Union and the US-led military alliance. She described the EU's decision to grant Ukraine candidate status in June 2022 as "very important," sending a signal of "serious political support" for Kiev's course and reflecting Ukrainians' desire to embrace European values.
However, she refrained naming exact dates for Kiev to become part of the EU, saying Brussels is formulating a roadmap which could take "more or less time." The spokeswoman noted that EU members are seeking to "move towards a very specific cooperation with our Ukrainian friends."
The spokeswoman's comments came after the European Commission determined on Thursday that Ukraine was only at an "early stage" of readiness to meet EU standards in many key areas. The bloc's top executive body notably highlighted Kiev's shortcomings in labor and gender equality legislation.
Legendre also signaled that Ukraine should not expect to join NATO in the near future, cautioning that accession is "is not on the agenda now. There is a war going on now." However, she stressed that the alliance still adheres to its open-door policy, citing the 1975 Helsinki Accords, which stipulate that every state is free to choose its own allies.
Ukraine's potential accession to NATO has long been a key security concern for Russia, and was cited as one of the factors prompting Moscow to launch its military operation in February 2022.
In December 2021, before large-scale hostilities broke out, Moscow submitted draft documents on security guarantees to NATO and the US, demanding that Ukraine be barred from entering the alliance, and insisting that the bloc itself should retreat to the borders of 1997. The initiative, however, was rebuffed.
(RT.com)
Get a daily dose of Maryland Leader news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Maryland Leader.
More InformationWASHINGTON, D.C.: Travelers at U.S. airports will no longer need to remove their shoes during security screenings, Department of Homeland...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: An elaborate impersonation scheme involving artificial intelligence targeted senior U.S. and foreign officials in...
SLUBICE, Poland: Poland reinstated border controls with Germany and Lithuania on July 7, following Germany's earlier reintroduction...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: After months of warnings from former federal officials and weather experts, the deadly flash floods that struck the...
MOSCOW, Russia: Just hours after his sudden dismissal by President Vladimir Putin, Russia's former transport minister, Roman Starovoit,...
DHARAMSHALA, India: The Dalai Lama turned 90 on July 6, celebrated by thousands of followers in the Himalayan town of Dharamshala,...
LONDON, U.K.: Physically backed gold exchange-traded funds recorded their most significant semi-annual inflow since the first half...
AMSTERDAM, Netherlands: Some 32 percent of global semiconductor production could face climate change-related copper supply disruptions...
NEW YORK, New York - U.S. stocks rebounded Tuesday with all the major indices gaining ground. Markets in the UK, Europe and Canada...
NEW YORK CITY, New York: Financial markets kicked off the week on a cautious note as President Donald Trump rolled out a fresh round...
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil: At a two-day summit over the weekend, the BRICS bloc of emerging economies issued a joint declaration condemning...
LONDON, U.K.: This week, BP appointed Simon Henry, former Shell finance chief, to its board as a non-executive director effective September...