Ukraine aims to join NATO

 The Ukrainian armed forces are receiving funds, equipment and training in preparation for eventual NATO membership, Ukraine’s ambassador to Turkey said on Monday.
” Ukraine is not ready to join NATO,” Sergei Korsunsky said. “The cost ofNATO membership is high, and a NATO member must be prepared to deploy forces on NATO missions around the world. Ukraine cannot manage either of these requirements yet.”
But as Ukraine builds its armed forces to meet the challenge of the Russian incursions on its territory, it is also working with NATO on training and equipment, and funds are being made available by NATO to aid Ukraine in its build-up, Korsunsky said. 
“When the preparation is complete, and the funds are there, then Ukraine will take steps to discuss NATO membership, and make a decision,” he said.
In the meantime, the work of building armed forces to a level at which they can maintain the country’s security continues.
“When we were attacked, we had practically no armed forces,” Korsunsky said. We certainly expected no need to defend ourselves from Western Europe, and we didn’t anticipate ever being attacked by Russia. We have had to create our army and navy almost from scratch.”
Ukrainian Defense Minister Stepan Poltorak said the country planned to increase the strength of army personnel from 232,000 to 250,000 people, as well as to create six mechanized brigades, a mountain infantry regiment, three artillery brigades and two army aviation brigades, according to an inteview with Interfax on Jan. 5.
Poltorak said the Defense Ministry was drafting Ukraine’s new military doctrine, taking into account existing threats that “have changed dramatically.”
Korsunsky said Ukrainian defense experts had been working with the Turkish armed forces to learn more about NATO techniques, as Turkey is a longstanding member of NATO.