Blue &Yellow: Politics and Economics in Ukraine

While the meeting left little doubt that NATO still wants Ukraine within the Atlantic alliance, it also made it clear that Russia's opposition to Ukraine's membership remains a strong reason for NATO to maintain its current go-slow approach.

NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer indirectly referred to the concerns over Moscow as he reaffirmed the right of Ukraine to choose its military partners.

"A country's right to freely choose its security alignments is another important principle in this regard and test for a Europe we all seek to build," he said as the meeting opened.