KIEV, December 11 (Sputnik) – The Ukrainian parliament approved a government action plan for 2015-2020 Thursday, allowing for five percent of the country’s annual GDP to be funneled into national security and defense.
The document also calls on Ukraine to formally end its non-bloc status and join NATO, and for its armed forces to switch to NATO military standards by 2020.
The plan was supported by 269 lawmakers, well above a required 226 vote minimum.
In November, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko announced plans to boost the country’s military spending to at least three percent of the Ukrainian GDP. The announcement followed a previously signed presidential decree establishing the country’s defense 2015 budget.
As a result of negotiations NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg assured in early December that the military alliance would continue close cooperation with Ukraine, supporting the Ukrainian government in defense and security reform.
