President Viktor Yushchenko Monday reinstated the objective of joining NATO and the European Union as part of Ukraine's military policy, reversing a move by his pro-Russian predecessor.

"As NATO and the EU are guarantors of Europe'a security and stability, Ukraine is preparing to become a full member of these organisations," read a presidential decree published Monday on the official site of parliament.

This clause had been removed from the policy statement in July 2004 by the previous pro-Russian president Leonid Kuchma, following a NATO summit in Turkey during which he said the Ukraine was not yet ready to join NATO.

Pro-Western Yushchenko won a struggle over three rounds of presidential elections last year against his pro-Russian rival, Viktor Yanukovich, in what became known as the peaceful "orange revolution."

Since then Kiev has vowed to move decisively westward, seeking accession to the European Union, NATO and the World Trade Organization, while at the same time seeking to maintain good ties with Moscow.