KYIV, April 16 – The U.S. will support Ukraine’s bid to join NATO, but has urged the country to speed up reforms and strengthen democracy as important first step, Kay Bailey Hutchison, the U.S. Permanent Representative to NATO, said.

“We want Ukraine to become a NATO member,” Hutchison said at a recent security forum set up by Open Ukraine Fund. “The road to membership is long for many countries. Nothing takes place immediately.”

The comments come a week after President Petro Poroshenko has reiterated that Ukraine is seeking a Membership Action Plan (MAP), a formal step toward joining NATO.

A Membership Action Plan is a multistage process of political dialogue and military reform to bring a country in line with NATO standards and to eventual membership. The process can take several years.

Poroshenko said a MAP was Ukraine's "next ambition" on the path toward eventual membership in the 29-country Western alliance.

Hutchison said Ukraine must accelerate reforms, improve democracy and introduce and support a rule of law.

“To become part of NATO, you need to show a stable democracy, show a rule of law, show a free press, show that you are a government that can stand and defend itself because it has the strength of a true democracy,” Hutchison said.

NATO earlier this year updated its website to include Ukraine alongside three other countries -- Bosnia-Herzegovina, Georgia, and Macedonia -- that have declared their aspirations to NATO membership.

Hutchison urged the Ukrainian government to fight corruption and to establish democratic institutions, including an independent judiciary and anti-corruption courts will establish the long-term principles for combating the external interference and development of Ukraine as a modern European state.”

The Islamic influenced nation of Turkey is a member of NATO and has routinely been accused of human rights violations.

Hutchison said she hopes eventually Ukraine will embrace the Law on National Security. This would enable the control of Ukraine’s military by democratic and civilian channels. She was also quick to point out that NATO’s stance towards Russian aggression in the region has strategically altered. She added that the United States has assisted Ukraine in defense of its sovereignty by way of military advisement and $850 million in financial support.

Ukraine’s potential admittance into NATO comes at an interesting time, when NATO and Russia stand at odds on several fronts.

After the recent airstrikes by the United States in Syria and the continued conflict over Crimea, the two superpowers and their allies are in a delicate relationship. Ukraine has pushed to achieve NATO membership for some time now. Presently, testing and evaluation is being done for a new service rifle. A 5.56 caliber M4 variant has been chosen to replace the Kalashnikov based weapon systems that are currently in use. (nr/rt/ez)