MOSCOW In a sign of Ukraines hardening attitude toward Russia, Ukrainian lawmakers on Tuesday voted to remove a legal barrier to joining the NATO defense alliance. <\/p>\n
The move swiftly provoked an angry response from Russia, even though NATO itself shows few signs of accepting Ukraine as a member any time soon. But this years bloody conflict in Ukraines east has shifted the countrys feelings about the value of the Western alliance. A plurality of Ukrainians now favor joining NATO, a stark change from recent years when just a small fraction did. <\/p>\n
Ukraines decision comes as Russia struggles with a weakened ruble and growing concerns about economic instability. <\/p>\n
The vote in Ukraines parliament had no immediate practical effect on the countrys relationship with NATO. But it ended Ukraines non-aligned status, put into place as a way of reassuring Russia that its neighbor would not join NATO. Russian President Vladimir Putin cited his fear of Ukraines joining NATO as a reason he annexed Crimea in March. <\/p>\n
The proposal to eliminate non-aligned status passed easily, with 303 of the Ukrainian parliaments 450 lawmakers in support. After the vote, legislators stood up and applauded. <\/p>\n
Finally we corrected a mistake. 303 votes and Ukraines non-aligned status is out, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko wrote on Facebook on Tuesday. There is no alternative to Euro-Atlantic integration. Glory to Ukraine! <\/p>\n
Russian leaders reacted immediately with harsh denunciations, warning Ukraine and NATO that no good could come of the decision. <\/p>\n
This is counterproductive and only escalates confrontations and creates an illusion that by adopting such laws it might be possible to settle a profound domestic crisis in Ukraine, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told reporters in Moscow, Interfax reported. <\/p>\n
He called instead for dialogue inside Ukraine, where Russian-supported rebels in the east have waged a war that has claimed more than 4,700 lives. <\/p>\n
A day earlier, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev warned on his Facebook page that application for membership in NATO would turn Ukraine into a potential military adversary for Russia. <\/p>\n
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Ukraine votes to take step toward NATO, immediately angering Russia<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" MOSCOW In a sign of Ukraines hardening attitude toward Russia, Ukrainian lawmakers on Tuesday voted to remove a legal barrier to joining the NATO defense alliance. The move swiftly provoked an angry response from Russia, even though NATO itself shows few signs of accepting Ukraine as a member any time soon. But this years bloody conflict in Ukraines east has shifted the countrys feelings about the value of the Western alliance Continue reading