The United States reiterated yesterday its call for NATO to grant the membership of Georgia and Ukraine as the alliance is due to meet in December.

"We see no reason that they shouldn't get MAP (membership action plan) status," White House spokeswoman Dana Perino told reporters.

The United States has seen "growing support for Georgia and Ukraine given what happened this summer when Russia invaded Georgia," the spokeswoman said.

Washington has been supporting Ukraine's attempt to join the NATO alliance. However, two strong NATO allies, France and Germany, have said they do not favor Ukraine's membership, partly out of concern it would unnecessarily antagonize Russia.

NATO has expanded eastward before, incorporating former Warsaw Pact countries, including Poland and Hungary. Russia has expressed strong objections to letting either Ukraine or Georgia join the alliance; both were major components of the former Soviet Union.