Ukraine`s parliament issued a statement Thursday expressing concerns over the possible deployment of U.S. missile defense elements in Central Europe, according to RIA Novosti.
Washington announced in January that it would build a radar installation in the Czech Republic and a missile interceptor base in Poland in the next five years to counter possible attacks from Iran or North Korea.
Both countries, which are former Central European Soviet allies and now members of the European Union and NATO, reaffirmed in February their willingness to allow the U.S. to place elements of its missile shield on its territory.
"The implementation of these plans threatens Ukraine`s national security," the Supreme Rada said in a statement, which was supported by 245 parliament members.
Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of State said Ukraine was one of the countries with which Washington was cooperating on the missile shield, but people in the former Soviet nation, particularly in the pro-Russian east of the country, have opposed any involvement.
The parliament said U.S. plans "caused massive protests in other countries," and asked the government to express its position to the UN Security Council and governments of interested countries.
Moscow has also strongly opposed the U.S. plans, saying the missile shield threatened Russia`s national security and pledged to take adequate measures to counter the U.S. move.
