Leonid Kuchma amends Ukraine's military doctrine on accession to NATO, EU

Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma has excluded the accession to NATO and the European Union as final goals of Euro-Atlantic and European integration from Ukraine's military doctrine.

On July 15 the head of state issued a decree on the July 6 decision of the National Security and Defense Council "On further development of relations with NATO with account for results of the Ukraine-NATO summit on June 29, 2004", the presidential press service reported.

According to the document, the President replaced the item of the doctrine's provision on military security conditions. This item said that the accession to NATO as a basis of the pan-European security system was a condition of Euro-Atlantic integration policy.

In compliance with the new edition, "the consolidation of trust between countries, successive decrease of military threat and pursuing of Euro-Atlantic integration policy are the conditions of Ukraine's military security".

Moreover, Leonid Kuchma altered the item of the military doctrine, which said that Ukraine was getting ready for equal membership in NATO and the EU.

The accession to NATO was removed from the item on the promotion of Euro-Atlantic integration.

The Ukrainian leader introduced amendments to the military doctrine following the Ukraine-NATO summit, which was held in Istanbul in late June.