Ukrainian presidential advisor: Ukraine should choose NATO

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Every country that became member of the European Union during its recent extensions became a NATO member as an inalienable part of the EU, and Ukraine needs to do the same, presidential counselor Oleg Rybachuk said at a session of Ukraine-NATO Public League assembly yesterday.

“I do not think that we have a choice, if we speak of Ukraine’s European future. If our political elites are sincere in their vision of Ukraine’s membership in the EU as a strategic target, and if we rephrase the saying ‘when in Rome, do as the Romans do,’ we should respect what Romans do. And ‘what Romans do’ means here that NATO is significantly in charge for security function,” the counselor believes.

According to him, in the end of last year the Democratic Initiatives Foundation (Ukraine) conducted a sociological survey on what factors influence public opinion in the country. “The first factor that can positively change the public opinion can become mutual understanding of political elites. But a lot of questions arise here. We know what Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich’s position is and it sounds as follows: he and President Viktor Yushchenko have no discrepancies in strategic issues. Position of the Ukrainian president is the following: Ukraine’s full membership in the EU and the European-Atlantic alliance,” Rybachuk stressed.

According to him, the prime minister’s circle expressed conflicting opinions. “If Ukraine wants to be a full member of the European politics, it needs to be active in the process,” the presidential counselor said.

He believes that an effective information campaign does not mean numerous round-tables and conferences, it can have some influence, but the most effective will be electronic media (television), i.e. an unbiased discussion about values, advantages, risks that Ukraine’s membership in the EU and NATO poses to the country.