KIEV, Ukraine -- Ukraine's president has taken steps to wean his country away from NATO and the European Union, and move toward Russia, the presidential Web site said Saturday.
Pro-Moscow Viktor Yanukovych
Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych abolished Ukraine's National Center for Euro-Atlantic Integration and two other institutes dealing with national and international security issues, RIA Novosti said.
The previous president, Viktor Yushchenko, took strong pro-Western positions, the report said, often at the expense of ties with Russia.
Yanukovych's power base is in the largely Russian-speaking eastern Ukraine, the report said, and he has promised to improve relations with Russia.
Yanukovych says Kiev will stay out of all international defense blocs -- Yushchenko had tried to get closer to NATO -- and that it is too early for European Union membership.
Source: UPI
Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych abolished Ukraine's National Center for Euro-Atlantic Integration and two other institutes dealing with national and international security issues, RIA Novosti said.
The previous president, Viktor Yushchenko, took strong pro-Western positions, the report said, often at the expense of ties with Russia.
Yanukovych's power base is in the largely Russian-speaking eastern Ukraine, the report said, and he has promised to improve relations with Russia.
Yanukovych says Kiev will stay out of all international defense blocs -- Yushchenko had tried to get closer to NATO -- and that it is too early for European Union membership.
Source: UPI
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