Prime Minister Harper Backs Ukraine’s Progress Toward Nato Membership

April 02, 2008

Bucharest - Prime Minister Stephen Harper today expressed Canada’s strong support for Ukraine to move towards membership in the NATO alliance. Prime Minister Harper urged other leaders to support Ukraine’s request to join NATO’s Membership Action Plan, saying that bringing Ukraine into the alliance would accelerate the pace of democratic reform and economic development.

“Ukraine has made great progress on democratization and in opening up its economy in recent years,” the Prime Minister said. “The country is on a path to a better future for its people, and I call upon our NATO partners to agree that we should keep Ukraine moving forward toward full membership in the alliance.”

“Through its actions at home and abroad, Ukraine has demonstrated that it shares the values of Canada and our NATO allies,” Prime Minister Harper said. “The Ukrainian people naturally yearn for greater freedom, democracy and prosperity. Canada will do everything in its power to help Ukraine realize these aspirations, including backing its bid for NATO membership, as long as the country keeps making progress on democratic reform and opening up its economy.”

The Prime Minister also indicated that Canada would join any NATO consensus to admit the Republic of Georgia to NATO’s Membership Action Plan.