Turkish president supports Ukranian NATO membership

"Turkey supports the Ukraine's steps to integrate with NATO and it promotes efforts for reconciliation for that end," Abdullah Gul told a joint press conference with his Ukrainian counterpart Viktor Yushchenko in the Turkish capital, Ankara.

Gul said Turkey included in 2003 Ukraine on its list of countries with priority in diplomatic relations, adding that bilateral relations had improved significantly since then.

Gul and Yushchenko held a tete-a-tete meeting earlier in the day.