Membership of Ukraine, Georgia stalled: Setback for Bush at Nato summit

BUCHAREST, April 3: Nato leaders gave way to Russian pressure on Thursday and delayed a decision to put the former Soviet states of Ukraine and Georgia on track for membership in the Western alliance, despite US President George W. Bush’s staunch support.

But Moscow’s victory may be short-lived: The Nato allies said clearly for the first time that strategically important Black Sea nations would one day join the Western alliance, and suggested they may launch membership procedures by the end of this year.

Bush gained ground on two other fronts: a promise of more troops in Afghanistan and support for US missile defence plans in Europe.

Regarding Ukraine and Georgia, alliance Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer read from the communique to be adopted at the summit: “We agree today that these countries will become members of Nato.â€