U.S. calls on Ukraine to implement deep reforms for NATO membership

The United States continues to support Ukraine's Euro-Atlantic aspirations, while urging Kyiv to implement deep and comprehensive reforms to meet Western standards for NATO membership.
U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price made a respective statement at a briefing in Washington on Tuesday, April 6, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.

"This [U.S.] administration is committed to ensuring that NATO's door remains open to aspirants when they are able to meet the commitments and obligations of membership and contribute to security in the Euro-Atlantic area," he said.

He stressed that Washington affirms its "support for that open door policy that was expressed in the 2008 Bucharest declaration." "We stand by the right of each sovereign country to choose for itself whether it joins any treaty or alliance, and, of course, that does include NATO," Price said.

At the same time, he stressed that aspirant countries wishing to join NATO should meet the organization's standard for membership.

"To that end, we continue to urge the Government of Ukraine to implement the deep, comprehensive, and timely reforms necessary to build a more stable, democratic, prosperous, and free country. We support Ukraine's efforts to advance the rule of law. We support reforms and economic growth, and we, of course, continue to support our partner Ukraine in the fight against Russian aggression," Price said.

In this context, he recalled that a number of high-ranking U.S. and Ukrainian officials, as well as the presidents of both countries, had telephone talks on these issues last week.

"Again, we are fully supportive and affirm NATO's open door policy, and we continue to look forward to working closely with Ukraine on all of these reforms that are in train," Price said.