US Congressmen Proposes To Give Ukraine Non-NATO Ally Status

ITAR-TASS - US Congressmen presented the US House of Representatives a bill recognizing Ukraine's main US ally out of NATO, as well as providing the country direct military assistance. The press service of Republican Jim Gerlach reported.

"The bipartisan legislation we introduced today is another important step towards reaffirming the United States’ commitment to helping our Ukrainian allies develop as a fully democratic nation," the press release stated.

     "Our bill also importantly calls to designate Ukraine as a Major Non-Nato Ally, in order to temporarily provide vital resources and the security NATO offers to member states," it said.

Earlier, former head of the Ukrainian Foreign Intelligence Service Nikolai Malomuzh said the United States can give Ukraine the status of a non-NATO ally, which will allow Washington to supply military hardware to Kiev.

He said the non-NATO ally status would entitle Kiev to broad financial aid from Washington to buy military equipment and weapons.

The US administration earlier said it would provide non-lethal aid to Ukraine, such as medicines, helmets, water cleaning systems, power generators and hand pumps. The US has also sent some 300,000 food rations for the Ukrainian military.