Ukraine Has Future in EU

DAVOS, Switzerland -- The European Union has told Ukraine that the nation has a long-term future in Europe but should concentrate for now on building closer ties through political and economic reform.

New Ukraine president, Viktor Yushchenko met European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

EU President Barroso

Mr Barroso said: "I believe that the future of Ukraine is in Europe, but now the agenda is the European Neighbourhood Policy."

That programme offers closer trade and economic ties, aid and political dialogue in return for EU-driven reforms, but it does not automatically lead to membership of the 25-nation bloc.

Barroso described the neighbourhood policy as a very ambitious agenda for Ukraine, saying the former Soviet republic had "a lot of work to do in terms of democratic reforms, economic reforms".

Yushchenko, who has set EU membership as a long-term objective, said he was satisfied with their first encounter and would visit Brussels in late February to discuss Ukraine's quest for market-based economy trade status.