Ukraine 's relationship with NATO is governed by the NATO – Ukraine Action Plan , adopted on 22 November 2002 . In April 2005 , Ukraine entered into Intensified Dialogue with NATO , and during the 2008 Bucharest summit NATO declared that Ukraine could become a member of NATO when it wants to join and meets the criteria for accession . However , by 2010 Ukraine had announced that it no longer had NATO membership as a goal under the foreign policy of new President Viktor Yanukovych . Following months of Euromaidan street protests that began because of his refusal to sign an Association Agreement with the European Union in favor of deals from Russia , President Yanukovych was overthrown . In response to Russian involvement in eastern Ukraine and the alleged deployment of Russian troops on Ukrainian soil , the Ukrainian Prime Minister Yatsenyuk announced his intentions to resume the bid for NATO integration in August 2014 , and in December 2014 , Ukraine 's parliament voted to drop non-aligned status that was passed in 2010
2008 Bucharest summit
2008 Bucharest summit
Individual Partnership Action Plan