Biden: US Committed to 'Strong and Prosperous' Ukraine
By VOA News
21 July 2009
U.S. Vice President Joe Biden says the United States is committed to a strong and prosperous Ukraine, and he says U.S. moves to reset relations with Russia will not come at Ukraine's expense.
Biden spoke Tuesday in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, at the start of a three-day mission to that country and a second former Soviet republic, Georgia.
Speaking alongside Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko, Biden said Washington strongly supports Ukraine's right to choose its alliances. He also welcomed Kyiv's decision to move toward alignment with the Euro-Atlantic community.
President Yushchenko said the two also discussed nuclear energy security at Ukrainian power plants, and the need to diversify fuel deliveries to Ukraine.
Russia has strongly opposed Ukrainian efforts to join NATO. It says the presence of the Western military alliance on its borders would be an intrusion into its traditional sphere of influence.
The U.S. vice president also meets Tuesday with Mr. Yushchenko's political rival, Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, to discuss ways to deepen bilateral ties.
He was expected to encourage both the prime minister and the president to end months of political feuding that has brought governance in the country to a virtual standstill.
Biden visits Georgia Wednesday and Thursday for talks with President Mikheil Saakashvili. He also will meet with opposition leaders who have been holding non-stop, but dwindling, protests in downtown Tbilisi trying to force him to resign.
On Monday, Mr. Saakashvili announced a series of election reforms, including the direct election of mayors and more opposition access to public television. He has refused to heed the opposition's demand that he step down before his term ends in 2013.
Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
