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Ukraine drops bid to join E.U., NATO

By Vladimir Radyuhin

MOSCOW, JULY 27. Ukraine has formally abandoned its goal of joining NATO in a sign of its growing tilt towards Russia.

The Ukrainian President, Leonid Kuchma, signed a decree ordering changes in the country's defence doctrine to remove reference to membership in the European Union and NATO as the ultimate goal of Ukraine's foreign policy.

Henceforth, Ukraine will only strive to "deepen relations" with the two organisations.

Victory for Putin

The decree, made public a day before the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, flew to Ukraine for an informal bilateral summit with Mr. Kuchma, is seen as a victory for Moscow in its tug-of-war with the West for influence in Ukraine.

New doctrine

The Ukrainian leader had just signed the new defence doctrine in June that stated the aim of joining NATO and the E.U. However, Mr. Kuchma badly needs Russia's crucial support for his bid to have his chosen heir, the Prime Minister, Viktor Yanukovich, win a presidential election in October against the more popular pro-Western Opposition candidate, Viktor Yushchenko.

Mr. Putin has taken full advantage of his position as a king-maker to encourage a U-turn in Ukraine's foreign policy towards closer integration with Russia. Last September, Ukraine after repeated refusals, finally signed up to a Single Economic Zone pact with Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus. The accord provides for a customs union, free movement of goods, capital and labour, and a common tax, monetary and foreign trade policy.

After his meeting with the Ukrainian leader on Monday, Mr. Putin issued a stern warning to the West not to get in the way of Russia and Ukraine forging closer ties.

"Their (Western nations') agents, both inside our countries and outside, are trying everything possible to compromise the integration between Russia and Ukraine," Mr. Putin said, speaking to businessmen from both countries.

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