[Nehkara]

Ukraine to seek NATO membership, says PM Yatsenyuk

"The government is entering a bill to Verkhovna Rada [parliament] about the cancellation of Ukraine's non-bloc status and resumption of Ukraine's course for NATO membership," Mr Yatsenyuk said.

Ukraine's previous President Viktor Yanukovich, ousted earlier this year, enshrined the country's non-aligned status in the constitution in 2008.

At a government meeting, Mr Yatsenyuk said Ukraine's main aim remained membership of the European Union.

He said the bill that was being presented would also prevent Ukraine from joining any bloc that would stand in the way of this, meaning any economic union involving Russia.