On Thursday, NATO's press service announced that Poltorak would visit NATO's headquarters in Brussels and meet with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.
"Many people think the Ukraine’s joining NATO is an exclusive deal of the Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces. Meanwhile, the NATO membership is the deal of the whole country, not only the army should be ready for it but the whole society must be ready for it. We must develop the democratic European country — this is the deal of every Ukrainian," Poltorak said at a press conference in Brussels, cited in a press release of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry.
"We have mutual understanding. Moreover, there is a group of Alliance experts working in Ukraine and helping us. We have developed together all planning documents; the last one is the Program of development of Armed Forces of Ukraine till 2020… The Act of Ukraine ‘On security and defence sector of Ukraine’ is almost ready. It will specify all approved documents and taken decisions regarding reforms of the Armed Forces, Strategic Defence Bulletin," Poltorak said.
In December 2014, Ukraine canceled its non-aligned status, confirming its intention to join NATO. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said a referendum on NATO membership would be held by 2020. Despite Kiev's aspirations to become part of the alliance, NATO officials have repeatedly stressed that the country needs to implement a wide range of reforms before pursuing alliance membership.
