NATO is quite satisfied with the choice made by the new Ukrainian authorities in favor of bilateral partnership, rather than membership of the alliance. NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said this in Brussels on Thursday, while commenting on a meeting of the alliance's defense ministers, an UKRINFORM correspondent reported from Belgium.
While anticipating today's defense ministerial meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Commission, Rasmussen said: "There has been a lot of speculation about how NATO would respond to the statement by the new authorities on Ukraine's ceasing to work to gain membership of the alliance. Our answer is simple - we respect Ukraine's choice. Ukraine wants to focus on partnership and cooperation, rather than membership - it suits us. This is what we'll do, including today's meeting."
