Secretary NATO General Anders Fogh Rasmussen has noted that the development of the first Annual National Program is a significant step on Ukraine's way to become a member of the Alliance.

The Secretary General added this in his opening remarks at the High-Level NATO-Ukraine Consultations in Brussels on Monday, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry's press service reported.

According to Rasmussen, to reflect the spirit of deepening collaboration, Ukraine has developed its first Annual National Programme which outlines the stages it intends to take to accelerate internal reform and alignment with Euro-Atlantic standards.

"That is significant. And it is important not because NATO thinks this way, but because it will help Ukraine to modernize, to the benefit of the Ukrainian people. And we are committed to support and help Ukraine in that journey," the secretary general added.

Ukraine's Acting Defense Minister, in his turn, reported that the time following the historical decision passed at the NATO Summit in Buharest, when NATO agreed that Ukraine will be a member of the Alliance, was efficiently used by Ukraine to continue implementing the comprehensive and practicable plans of reforming Ukraine's armed forces.

Besides, the assessment of the progress in Ukraine's meeting the military criteria for acquiring a membership in the Alliance was made and the proposal on the defense sector reform were worked out.

"The results of this work were taken as a basement for the development and the implementation of the II part of the Annual National Program on Ukraine's preparations for become a member of the Alliance," Ivaschenko mentioned.