Yushchenko at the Council of Europe

STRASBOURG, France -- Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko, visiting the heart of Western Europe after a trip to Russia, has vowed to do all he can to ensure that democratic changes in his country are irreversible.

"I can assure you that as the president of Ukraine I will make every effort possible to ensure the democratic changes that are taking place at the moment ... are irreversible," he told the Council of Europe, a 46-nation human rights watchdog, in the eastern French city of Strasbourg on Tuesday.

Viktor Yushchenko addressing COE

Yushchenko, who hopes to guide Ukraine into the European Union, pledged his commitment to human rights, media freedom and fighting corruption in a speech to the Council's Parliamentary Assembly, which has in the past criticised Ukraine's rights record.

"As for human rights ... democracy is the supremacy of the law," he said in comments translated into French.

"We will also ensure our institutions become democratic and create a base for all our public institutions to function democratically, in particular the courts."

He welcomed European Union plans to draw up new strategy on Ukraine and pledged to improve living standards to encourage Ukrainians who have left to return home.

Yushchenko travels to Poland and on Thursday will be in Brussels to speak to the European Parliament about Ukraine's ambition to eventually join the EU. He will also attend the World Economic Forum in Switzerland.