Ukrainian Pro-Western Parties Agrees to Make NATO Membership A Priority
Ukraine's Pro-Western political parties on Friday agreed to make joining NATO a priority in a coalition deal that will give them a parliamentary majority.
The coalition agreement between the five parties stipulates that a law must be passed by the end of the year confirming Ukraine's intention to push for membership of the military alliance.
Earlier on Friday, Pro-Western lawmakers in Ukraine announced the creation of a parliamentary coalition which, for the first time, will be able to pass amendments to the constitution.
Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk said the coalition would be made up of 300 legislators out of a total of 450 seats, during a meeting shown live on television.
The deal between five parties including those of Yatsenyuk, President Petro Poroshenko and former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko came after negotiations in the wake of October elections.
The agreement was signed as Kiev marked the first anniversary of the start of protests on Independence Square which led to the overthrow of the previous pro-Russian regime and sparked the conflict ravaging the nation's east.
Source: Agence France Presse
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