UKRAINIAN President Petro Poroshenko told the country’s security council yesterday that staying out of Nato was a “criminal” policy that his government was ready to reverse.

“The non-alliance policy which was announced by the previous government is criminal in terms of security and strategic interests of our state,” Mr Poroshenko said.

The president said any decision to join Nato would be subject to a popular vote, but Nato secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg was sitting with the council already.

Mr Stoltenberg assured the council that “Ukraine can rely on Nato” and “Nato provides Ukraine with political and practical support.”

Ukraine, Russia, Germany and France will be discussing the conflict at a Paris summit in two weeks.