Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko says the Republic of North Macedonia has destroyed Russia's plans to block the accession of the country to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
"The path of Northern Macedonia was very difficult, but the country demonstrated unity and destroyed the plans of Russia, which tried to stop this extremely important move to strengthen security in Europe. NATO has opened 'doors' for the 30th member state," he said at a February 7 session of the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament, before voting for amendments to the Constitution on Ukraine's path to the European Union and NATO.
The head of state added that on the same day, February 6, the European Commission decided on the membership of North Macedonia in the European Union.
"This is another demonstration of how these processes are interconnected, namely accession to NATO and the EU," the president said.
Read alsoUkraine's army to be able to act under NATO standards in 2020, Poroshenko says
As UNIAN reported earlier, on February 6, in Brussels, permanent representatives of all 29 countries of the Alliance signed a protocol on the accession of the Republic of Northern Macedonia to NATO in the future. Parliaments of all NATO member states shall ratify the protocol. Henceforth, representatives of Northern Macedonia will take part in meetings of NATO and the North Atlantic Council as a guest country's envoys.
Athens and Skopje earlier ratified a historic agreement on a new name for Macedonia, that is the Republic of Northern Macedonia, which put an end to a 27-year dispute that blocked Skopje's intention to join NATO and the EU.
On February 6, Macedonian Foreign Minister Nikola Dimitrov announced that the new name of the country would finally be approved as soon as the amendments to the Constitution came into force.
On January 8, head of the Mission of Ukraine to NATO Vadym Prystaiko said Ukraine could join the Alliance after Macedonia.
