The door remains open for Ukraine to join NATO, but the head of the military alliance has urged Kiev to focus on reform.<br /><br />Anders Fogh Rasmussen made his remarks ahead of a two-day meeting of NATO defence ministers from its 28 members.<br /><br />“That’s for the Ukrainians to decide. Actually, I don’t think it’s the most urgent priority for the new Ukrainian leadership. We all remember what we decided at the NATO Summit in Bucharest in 2008. <br /><br />“We decided that Ukraine will become a member of NATO, of course, provided the country so wishes and provided the country fulfills the necessary criteria,” said Fogh Rasmussen.<br /><br />So it’s for Ukraine to decide. But I think there are more urgent priorities to address right now. We stand ready to continue our engagement with Ukraine.”<br /><br />The summit takes amid reports of Russian military drills in western Russia.<br /><br />That and other key issues facing Ukraine will be discussed before the end of talks on Thursday.<br /><br />On Wednesday, NATO ministers issued a statement saying the army should not intervene in the country’s political crisis and should remain neutral.
