Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba addresses the opening session on the first day of the Ukraine Recovery Conference in London, June 21, 2023. (PHOTO / AP)

KIEV – The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has eased the requirements for Ukraine's membership in the alliance by canceling a requirement to follow a Membership Action Plan (MAP), Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Monday.

"Following intensive talks, NATO allies have reached consensus on removing MAP from Ukraine's path to membership," Kuleba tweeted.

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Kuleba described the decision as "long-awaited," noting that it would shorten Ukraine's path to NATO.

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Later in the day, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said that negotiations on the final declaration of the NATO summit regarding Ukraine are still underway, according to the Interfax-Ukraine news agency.

The next NATO Summit is slated for July 11-12 in Vilnius, Lithuania.