Nato foreign ministers put an end yesterday to the dream of Georgia and Ukraine joining the alliance within the next few years.

Membership of Nato was kicked so far into the grass that Moscow must be wondering what all the fuss was about when it became concerned in April that the two former Soviet republics were going to be fast-tracked into the Western alliance.

The only agreement to emerge on Georgia and Ukraine from a meeting of the 26 Nato foreign ministers was a promise to give them long-term assistance to build up their armed forces and help to introduce reforms. “Long term” apparently means at least ten years.

Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, the Nato Secretary-General, said a decision had been taken to “beef up” the existing Nato/Ukraine Commission and Nato/ Georgia Commission, which would help the countries to improve their military standards in preparation for eventual membership of the alliance.

He also announced that the foreign ministers had agreed on a “conditional and graduated reengagement with Russia”, with informal discussions to take place with the Nato/Russia Council. Formal meetings of the council were suspended after the Russian invasion of Georgia in August. Mr de Hoop Scheffer said this did not mean “business as usual” with Russia.

The conflict with Russia put paid to Georgia’s aspirations for Nato membership, and Ukraine’s enthusiasm for joining has been clouded by political bickering in Kiev and polls suggesting that the majority of Ukrain-ian voters are opposed to the idea.

While reengagement with Russia won unanimous support, the issue of Georgia and Ukraine was still the source of political difficulty within the alliance.

David Miliband, the Foreign Secretary, denied that Nato was divided over the countries.

He said nothing had changed since the alliance heads of government summit in Bucharest in April when all leaders agreed that the countries would be granted membership one day.

Yesterday’s meeting of foreign ministers in Brussels, however, was supposed to move the pledge towards implementation, with an invitation to Georgia and Ukraine to start Nato’s membership action plan (MAP). This was quickly scotched when at least three members of the alliance refused to countenance such a bold step.

“I see no reason to go beyond the agreement we made in Bucharest,” Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the German Foreign Minister, said, summing up the view of Berlin, as well as Paris and Rome.

Condoleezza Rice, the US Secretary of State, acknowledged that MAP had to be dropped, but said she was happy with the decision to strengthen the two existing commissions. She also said that Georgia and Ukraine faced a “long process” before they could be considered for membership.

Nato officials said that foreign ministers, including Dr Rice, had fallen in line with the view that MAP had become too much of a political stumbling block.

Asked whether it was a setback for Georgia and Ukraine, Mr Miliband said: “I don’t think so. The heads of government came to very clear conclusions last April in Bucharest. They said very clearly that these countries will become members eventually.”

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