Moscow said Natos promise that the ex-Soviet republics would join one day was a "huge strategic mistake".
At a summit in Romania, Macedonia was also denied Nato entry but Albania and Croatia were given the green light.
US and Czech officials agreed to base a missile defence radar on Czech soil, a plan that has also angered Russia.
And President Nicolas Sarkozy indicated France would return next yearto the Nato military command it left in 1966 in protest at thedominance of US commanders.
He also said hundreds of extra French troops would be deployedto Afghanistan, easing fears of a crisis within the Western coalitionthere.
Not happy
The announcements came after a night of diplomatic wrangling over newmembers which poisoned the summit atmosphere, says the BBCs JonathanMarcus in Bucharest.
US President George W Bush had called for Georgia and Ukraine to be allowed to join.
 |   |
But the move was opposed by Germany and France, amid concerns voiced by Russia over Natos eastward expansion.
Nato Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer told a news conference Georgia and Ukraine would become members eventually.
The alliance decided not to offer Ukraine and Georgia amembership action plan - a gateway to membership - but agreed onThursday to review this in December.
Georgian diplomats said they were "not happy" with the delay but welcomed the promise of eventual membership.
Macedonian officials said their rejection was a "huge disappointment" that would undermine stability in the Balkans.
The US had also called for Macedonia to join but this wasstrongly opposed by Greece, which has a northern province that is alsocalled Macedonia.
It argued that the former Yugoslav republics insistence on being known as Macedonia implied a territorial claim.
