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Ukraine to hold Nato vote when membership criteria are met | |
(35 minutes later) | |
Ukraine will hold a referendum on joining Nato once it has met certain criteria for membership, President Petro Poroshenko has said. | Ukraine will hold a referendum on joining Nato once it has met certain criteria for membership, President Petro Poroshenko has said. |
At a joint news conference with Lithuania's president, Mr Poroshenko said he had "worked out the criteria", but gave no further details. | At a joint news conference with Lithuania's president, Mr Poroshenko said he had "worked out the criteria", but gave no further details. |
Last week, a Kremlin official called for "a 100% guarantee" that Ukraine would not think about joining Nato. | |
Ukraine has been fighting pro-Russian separatists for most of the year. | Ukraine has been fighting pro-Russian separatists for most of the year. |
Mr Poroshenko did not say what the criteria for Ukraine's membership were. | Mr Poroshenko did not say what the criteria for Ukraine's membership were. |
Nato itself says: "There is no fixed or rigid list of criteria for inviting new member states to join the alliance." | Nato itself says: "There is no fixed or rigid list of criteria for inviting new member states to join the alliance." |
However, countries are only admitted to Nato if it believes they will "contribute to security and stability in the North Atlantic area". | However, countries are only admitted to Nato if it believes they will "contribute to security and stability in the North Atlantic area". |
Analysts say Ukraine, destabilised by the fighting, is therefore unlikely to be seen as viable by Nato. | Analysts say Ukraine, destabilised by the fighting, is therefore unlikely to be seen as viable by Nato. |
President Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov has accused Nato of breaking a historic promise by gradually approaching Russia's borders. | |
He told the BBC that the alliance was attempting to break the "balance of power". | |
Three countries from the former Soviet bloc joined Nato in 1999, followed by several more in 2004, including Lithuania and the other Baltic states. | |
Lethal equipment? | Lethal equipment? |
On Monday, Lithuania joined other Nato members in offering military assistance to Ukraine. | On Monday, Lithuania joined other Nato members in offering military assistance to Ukraine. |
It is not clear whether the aid President Dalia Grybauskaite has offered will include lethal equipment. | It is not clear whether the aid President Dalia Grybauskaite has offered will include lethal equipment. |
Fighting has continued in east Ukraine despite both sides signing a cease-fire agreement on 5 September. | Fighting has continued in east Ukraine despite both sides signing a cease-fire agreement on 5 September. |
In the eight weeks since the Minsk agreement was signed, almost 1,000 people have been killed, the UN human rights office says. | In the eight weeks since the Minsk agreement was signed, almost 1,000 people have been killed, the UN human rights office says. |
Three Ukrainian soldiers have been added to this toll in the past 24 hours, while reports have come in of heavy shelling in Donetsk. | Three Ukrainian soldiers have been added to this toll in the past 24 hours, while reports have come in of heavy shelling in Donetsk. |
Since the conflict began in April, more than 4,300 people have died and almost one million have been displaced, the UN has said. | Since the conflict began in April, more than 4,300 people have died and almost one million have been displaced, the UN has said. |