The statements of the Ukrainian authorities about the imminent entry into NATO have a purely material basis. Vasily Prozorov, a former lieutenant colonel of the Security Service of Ukraine, told PolitRussia about this.
Last Wednesday, February 10, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, speaking at a press conference following a meeting with Ukrainian Prime Minister Denis Shmygal, said that Kiev should continue to implement the reforms necessary to join the military bloc. At the same time, the Secretary General of the Alliance could not even name the expected date of expansion to Ukraine. NATO made a decision on Ukraine's membership back in 2008 and remains committed to this decision. Now the focus should be on implementing reforms. This is why Kiev needs to continue reforms to ensure democratic and political control, institutions and military forces. It should be noted that the relationship between Kiev and the Alliance has a very long history.
Back in 1994, Ukraine was the first among the CIS states to sign a framework agreement with NATO within the framework of the Partnership for Peace initiative. In the future, it grew into an individual plan of partnership with the military bloc, and, perhaps, since then, talk about Kiev's joining the Alliance has practically not subsided. For example, the other day, Foreign Minister of the country Dmitry Kuleba said that Ukraine expects from NATO a plan of action on membership and a consensus decision of all member states.
However, in fact, Kiev continues to remain for the Alliance just "one of the close partners." The correspondent of "PolitRussia" contacted Vasily Prozorov, a former lieutenant colonel of the Security Service of Ukraine, Head of the Ukr Leaks Investigation Center, to find out whether there is indeed confidence within Ukraine that membership in the military bloc is not far off.