Ukraine says it and NATO should determine membership

Residents walk along the Memory Wall of Fallen Defenders of Ukraine in Russian-Ukrainian War in Kyiv. Credit: Reuters photo

Only Ukraine and NATO should determine Kyiv's bid to join the alliance, Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said after meeting his Italian counterpart Luigi Di Maio in Kyiv on Tuesday.

"No one but Ukraine and NATO members should have a say in the discussions about Ukraine's future NATO membership," Kuleba said.

The meeting with Di Maio came hours after Russia said it was withdrawing some of its troops deployed near Ukraine and as Russia's parliament asked President Vladimir Putin to recognise two territories held by pro-Russian rebels in Ukraine's east.

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