NATO defence ministers will meet a delegation from Ukraine on Thursday to discuss the situation in the country after the ouster of president Viktor Yanukovych, a NATO official said.

Ukraine has longstanding ties with the military alliance under the NATO-Ukraine Commission and is a contributor to US-led NATO forces in Afghanistan.

A NATO official, who asked not to be named, said Tuesday that the commission will meet on the second day of a NATO defence ministers gathering.

"Ministers agreed to a Ukrainian request for a meeting," the official said. "It will be an exchange of views on the situation in Ukraine and relations between NATO and Ukraine."

At the weekend, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen praised Ukraine's army for staying out of the political crisis.

"Ukraine is a close partner to NATO and NATO is a friend of the Ukrainian people," Rasmussen said.

"We look forward to continue cooperation with Ukraine based on the NATO-Ukraine Charter," signed in 1997 after the break up of the Communist bloc led by Moscow.

Ukraine's Kremlin-allied president Yanukovych was deposed by the opposition-backed parliament at the weekend after scores of people were killed in protests in Kiev.