Cheney seeks to bolster Ukraine

Dick Cheney is in Ukraine on the last stop on his tour of the region aimed at showing support for U.S. allies in the former USSR. The U.S. vice president will meet the president and prime minister, whose feuding has brought the government to the brink of collapse. Cheney seeks to bolster Ukraine They are expected to discuss energy pipelines, Ukraine's bid for NATO membership and support for Georgia. President Viktor Yushchenko says Ukraine is a hostage in a war waged by Russia against ex-Soviet bloc states. European officials have suggested that Ukraine could be the next flashpoint for tensions between Russia and the West. 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. 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. Open aggression In response to the threat, Yushchenko has restricted Russia's naval operations, and insists Moscow must leave when an inter-state treaty expires in 2017. Ukraine has said it is ready to make its missile early warning systems available to European nations following Russia's conflict with Georgia. 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 Cheney will meet both 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 in Kiev says the leaders' faltering relationship has now boiled over into open aggression, with Yushchenko threatening to dissolve parliament and call a snap election. The president has been staunch in his support for Georgia's leader Mikheil Saakashvili. But 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.

Cheney seeks to bolster Ukraine

They are expected to discuss energy pipelines, Ukraine's bid for NATO membership and support for Georgia.

President Viktor Yushchenko says Ukraine is a hostage in a war waged by Russia against ex-Soviet bloc states.

European officials have suggested that Ukraine could be the next flashpoint for tensions between Russia and the West.

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.

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.

Open aggression

In response to the threat, Yushchenko has restricted Russia's naval operations, and insists Moscow must leave when an inter-state treaty expires in 2017.

Ukraine has said it is ready to make its missile early warning systems available to European nations following Russia's conflict with Georgia.

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 Cheney will meet both 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 in Kiev says the leaders' faltering relationship has now boiled over into open aggression, with Yushchenko threatening to dissolve parliament and call a snap election.

The president has been staunch in his support for Georgia's leader Mikheil Saakashvili.

But 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.