Ukraine took a major step on Dec. 23 in a parliamentary vote to drop its "non-aligned" status, which made the country ineligible to participate in military alliances and war - a status more famously upheld by Switzerland. As a result, Ukraine’s government could now apply to join NATO.
Russia's War Against Ukraine
Time: Ukraine inches closer to NATO in important vote
North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) secretary general Jens Stoltenberg holds a press conference at the NATO headquarters in Brussels on Dec. 1, 2014 on the eve of a defence ministers meeting.
