Ukraine president suggests NATO referendum

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has signed a law ending the country's non-aligned status.

Poroshenko signed the law during a press conference in Kiev shown live on television.

The president promised to initiate reforms allowing Ukraine to comply with NATO standards, after which there would be a referendum on joining the military alliance.

Poroshenko also announced he would meet with the leaders of Germany, France and Russia for talks in Kazakhstan about solving the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

The meeting is planned for January 15 in the Kazakh capital Astana, Poroshenko said.