Ukraine-NATO-Russia: political efforts and agreements

The two-day foreign ministers' informal meeting of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) concluded here on Thursday in the capital city of Lithuania, with marked breakthrough made in Ukraine's NATO membership aspiration.

The meeting, first of its kind ever held outside of NATO headquarters in Brussels, highlighted the NATO ties with &to=http:// english.pravda.ru/world/20/92/370/15125_ukraine.html ' target=_blank>Ukraine, and NATO foreign ministers and their counterpart Boris Tarasyuk held an exclusive meeting under the framework of so-call NATO-Ukraine Commission in NATO's jargon.

Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko has long pledged the willto join NATO and his aspiration won support from U.S. President George W. Bush, a paramount leader in the &to=http:// english.pravda.ru/world/20/91/368/14715_venezuela.html ' target=_blank>military alliance, during his European tour in February.

The ministers agreed on Thursday to launch short-term actions in support of Ukraine's reforms, like reinvigorating cooperation in defense and security sector reform, and enhancing support to address the soci-economic impact of defense reform, publishes Xinhuanet.