Ukraine has decided to launch a formal bid to join Nato hoping that the membership will strengthen its security.

"There is not a single country in the world that does not understand that Nato is a structure that can guarantee European security," the Ukrainian President, Leonid Kuchma, was quoted as saying.

"This is exactly the reason why Ukraine attaches so much importance to its relations with the alliance."

His statement follows a meeting of Ukraine's National Security and Defence Council (NSDC) which decided to put a formal request to the Nato Secretary General, George Robertson, during his visit to Kiev in July.

The announcement is likely to meet a cool reaction from the neighbouring Russia, who opposes Nato membership for any of the former Soviet republics, despite Moscow's recent rapprochement with the alliance.

'Long-term strategy'

Commenting on Ukraine's decision, the NSDC Secretary, Yevhen Marchuk, said it would be "purposeless and even harmful" if the country further kept its status as a neutral country.

Kuchma says Ukraine must enhance its security

"The [NSDC] council agreed that a long-term strategy must be worked out that would enable Ukraine to join the collective security system upon which Nato is based."

But he added that the final decision should be taken only if Ukraine's people and the parliament supported the idea.

Ukraine has been an active participant in the Nato's Partnership for Peace programme since joining the programme five years ago, and last week Mr Robertson said he wanted to further strengthen Nato's ties with Ukraine.

"A sovereign Ukraine is a strategic player in forming Europe's security landscape," he said.

Distant prospect

Ukraine's close ties with Nato have often been a source of irritation for Russia, which in the past angrily opposed to any plans of the alliance's eastward expansion.

But recently Russia has significantly improved its relations with the alliance.

Moscow further toned down its criticism after signing an historic agreement with Nato allowing Russia to join the alliance's decision-making process.

However, some experts say Ukraine's membership in the alliance is a distant prospect as the country cannot meet some key Nato entry criteria.

They say Ukraine must radically modernise its ageing defence systems and significantly increase military spending if its request is to be seriously considered by Nato.