Ukraine Demands 'Special Partnership' with NATO

Ukraine has filed a "special partnership" request with NATO, state news agency UNIAN has said.

The document was sent in an official letter from Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, before a Ukraine-NATO Commission meating in Brussels.

The idea is to become part of the program of enhanced opportunities for special partners of NATO.

The Enhanced Opportunities Programme currently involves non-NATO members Sweden and Finland as partners.

One of the obstacles until now was the lack of a technical agreement on the exchange of classified information that is to be signed next week, Deputy Foreign Minister Vadim Pristayko has said.

Such a partnership will allow Ukraine's defense system to become more advanced in line with NATO standards, Ukrinform has quoted Pristayko as saying.