Ukraine becomes a member of the North Atlantic Cooperation Council. NATO established the council to form a partnership with Central and Eastern European countries. Russia also becomes a member.

NATO-Ukraine Charter. NATO member states pledge assistance to Kyiv for military reforms. Later, Ukraine will provide troops to NATO-led missions, including in Afghanistan.

Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma announces that his country wants to join NATO. Later, he will back away from that intention.

Following the Orange Revolution, the Ukrainian government identifies NATO membership as a strategic goal of its military doctrine.

Viktor Yanukovych announces after his election as Ukrainian prime minister that the country does not want to join the alliance after all.

President Yushchenko and Prime Minister Tymoshenko, both reform-minded, make an effort to join the alliance. At the NATO summit in Bucharest, the alliance decides that Ukraine will become a members, but no timeline is established.