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Cheney seeks to bolster Ukraine Ukraine 'must live without fear'
(40 minutes later)
US Vice-President Dick Cheney is in Ukraine on the last stop on his tour of the region aimed at showing support for US allies in the former Soviet Union. US Vice-President Dick Cheney has said Ukraine has the right to live without fear of invasion, adding that the US stands by its bid for Nato membership.
He has met the president and prime minister, whose feuding has brought the government to the brink of collapse. Mr Cheney met both the prime minister and president in Kiev, the last stop of a tour aimed at underlining support for US allies in the former Soviet Union.
They discussed energy pipelines, Ukraine's bid for Nato membership and support for Georgia. Mr Cheney reassured the president that the US had a "deep and abiding interest" in Ukraine's security.
President Viktor Yushchenko says Ukraine is a hostage in a war waged by Russia against ex-Soviet bloc states. Analysts fear Ukraine could be the next flashpoint between Russia and the West.
European officials have suggested that Ukraine could be the next flashpoint for tensions between Russia and the West. "We believe in the right of men and women to live without the threat of tyranny, economic blackmail or military invasion or intimidation," Mr Cheney said, in an apparent reference to Russia's military intervention in Georgia.
Russia is strongly opposed to any further expansion eastwards of Nato, and is furious that Ukraine and Georgia have been promised that, one day, they will be offered membership. 'Hostage'
The strategically located country is important to Russia, with pipelines that carry Russian gas to European consumers and its Black Sea port, home to a key Russian naval base. Mr Cheney arrived in Ukraine just days after the country was plunged into political turmoil.
Earlier this week, Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko's party blocked a motion condemning Russia's actions in Georgia, and sided with the opposition to vote for a curb on the president's powers.
Members of President Viktor Yushchenko's party walked out of the coalition government in protest, leading the president to warn that he could be forced to call a snap general election.
Mr Cheney urged the politicians to heal their divisions and be "united domestically first and foremost".
"Ukraine's best hope to overcome these threats is to be united," he said following separate meetings with Mr Yushchenko and his former ally turned political rival, Yulia Tymoshenko.
Mr Cheney expressed support for Ukraine's bid to become a member of Nato.
A tenuous double actUkraine voices
"Ukrainians have a right to choose whether they wish to join Nato, and Nato has a right to invite Ukraine to join the alliance when we believe they are ready and that the time is right," he said.
Russia is strongly opposed to any further expansion eastwards of Nato, and is furious that Ukraine and Georgia have been told that, one day, they will be offered membership.
But Mr Cheney - recognising Ukraine's contributions to Nato missions in Afghanistan and Kosovo - said that no country beyond Nato would be able to block Ukraine's membership bid.
President Yushchenko says Ukraine is a hostage in a war waged by Russia against ex-Soviet bloc states.
The strategically-located country is important to Russia, with pipelines that carry Russian gas to European consumers and its Black Sea port, home to a key Russian naval base.
Russia has a powerful tool at its disposal, namely the large ethnic Russian population in Ukraine's southern province of Crimea.Russia has a powerful tool at its disposal, namely the large ethnic Russian population in Ukraine's southern province of Crimea.
Open aggressionOpen aggression
In response to the threat, Mr Yushchenko has restricted Russia's naval operations, and insists Moscow must leave when an inter-state treaty expires in 2017. Mr Yushchenko has restricted Russia's naval operations, and insists Moscow must leave when an inter-state treaty expires in 2017.
class="" href="/1/hi/world/europe/7597112.stm">A tenuous double act class="" href="/1/hi/world/europe/7596774.stm">Ukraine voices Ukraine has said it is ready to make its missile early warning systems available to European nations following Russia's conflict with Georgia. Ukraine has said it is ready to make its missile early warning systems available to European nations following Russia's conflict with Georgia.
Mr Cheney's visit comes at an awkward time for President Yushchenko, with the country's largely pro-Western ruling coalition divided in its attitude toward Russia.Mr Cheney's visit comes at an awkward time for President Yushchenko, with the country's largely pro-Western ruling coalition divided in its attitude toward Russia.
Such is the level of animosity between the two that Mr Cheney met the prime minister and president separately.
Earlier this week, Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko's party blocked a motion condemning Russia's actions in Georgia, and sided with the opposition to vote for a curb on the president's powers.
The BBC's Gabriel Gatehouse in Kiev says the leaders' faltering relationship has now boiled over into open aggression, with Mr Yushchenko threatening to dissolve parliament and call a snap election.The BBC's Gabriel Gatehouse in Kiev says the leaders' faltering relationship has now boiled over into open aggression, with Mr Yushchenko threatening to dissolve parliament and call a snap election.
The president has been staunch in his support for Georgia's leader Mikhail Saakashvili. The president has been a staunch supporter of his Georgian counterpart, Mikhail Saakashvili.
But Ms Tymoshenko has avoided outright condemnation of Russia, leading analysts to suggest she may be hoping for Moscow's backing in a possible bid for the presidency in 2010.But Ms Tymoshenko has avoided outright condemnation of Russia, leading analysts to suggest she may be hoping for Moscow's backing in a possible bid for the presidency in 2010.