Ukraine asks US to make it a major non-NATO ally
The Verkhovna Rada adopted an appeal to the US Congress with a plea to conclude a defense agreement with Ukraine and grant Ukraine the status of Major non-NATO ally.
232 deputies voted for the adoption of the draft resolution.
"In accordance with the spirit and letter of the Budapest Memorandum, as well as in developing a strategic partnership between our states, we are asking the United States to consider concluding a defense agreement with Ukraine and granting Ukraine the status of Major non-NATO ally," the appeal says.
The deputies believe that giving Ukraine the status of a Major non-NATO ally and the conclusion of a bilateral defense agreement "will have a huge impact on the cessation of Russian aggression against Ukraine, deterring the aggressor and preventing the incitement of a big war in Europe."
"This is in the interests of Ukraine, the United States, Europe and the world," the document says.
To date, 16 countries have the status of Major non-NATO ally (Australia, Egypt, Israel, Japan, South Korea, Jordan, New Zealand, Argentina, Bahrain, Philippines, Thailand, Kuwait, Morocco, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Tunisia).
The introduction of such a status in bilateral relations determines the priority of development of US relations with these countries, including the possibility of participating in joint defense initiatives, the possibility of joint military research, participation in a number of limited counter-terrorism activities, supply of restricted types of weapons, and joint participation in space projects.
In September 2014, US President Barack Obama denied Ukraine the status of Major non-NATO ally.