Yevhen MARCHUK: “Ukraine cannot ignore Russia’s concerns”

Yevhen Marchuk, Ukraine’s former defense minister and ex-secretary of the National Security and Defense Council, links the gas conflict with Russia to Ukraine’s intention to join NATO’s Membership Action Plan (MAP). He expressed this view at a press conference, reports www.glavred.info, citing Ukrainski Novyny. “Our recent actions linked to the MAP, ‘the letter of the three,’ comprise 50 percent of the so-called gas wars with Russia,” he said.

Marchuk calls the decision of Ukraine’s leaders to send that letter with a request to the leaders of the Alliance without preparing either the Ukrainian public or Ukraine’s strategic partners somewhat premature. He believes that Ukraine cannot ignore Russia’s concerns about our country’s possible accession to the MAP. The former defense minister again underlined the fact that he supports Ukraine within NATO. “Personally, I am all for Ukraine’s accession to NATO. I have supported this and continue to do so, and I have done much for this cause,” he said, underlining that the path of joining the alliance is rather long and will require much work.

The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the Ukraine-NATO Action Plan for 2008. The plan is confirmed every year by a presidential edict within the framework of cooperation between Ukraine and the Alliance. At the request of NATO members, Ukraine has agreed to consider the possibility of joining the MAP at the NATO summit in the Romanian capital of Bucharest in April.