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Putin reaches out on visit to Ukraine

KIEV, Ukraine - Russian President Vladimir Putin made a one-day fence-mending trip to Ukraine on Saturday to seek assurances that the country's new pro-Western government would not drive the two former Soviet republics apart.

Putin flew to the Ukrainian capital from Paris and met Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko, who won election in December after street protests forced the reversal of an initial vote count that gave victory to his pro-Kremlin opponent. It was Putin's first visit to Ukraine since the "Orange Revolution."

Yushchenko said his goal was for "Vladimir Putin and Russia to understand that the new Ukrainian government is a responsible government, which will always demonstrate honesty."

Saturday's brief visit was the second meeting between the leaders. Yushchenko traveled to the Kremlin a day after his inauguration, fulfilling a campaign promise to preserve a good relationship with Russia even as Ukraine seeks membership in the European Union and NATO.

"Russia is our eternal neighbor, which Ukraine wants to see as a friend and strategic partner," Yushchenko said.

Yushchenko invited Putin to visit his apartment for an informal meeting to discuss humanitarian issues, and the two first families had dinner.

Putin's last two trips to Ukraine came in the midst of the bitter presidential campaign, sparking accusations he was campaigning on behalf of Yushchenko's rival, former Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych.

Yushchenko's supporters and the West criticized the Kremlin for interfering in its neighbor's political affairs. Yushchenko's victory in the repeat vote and the rush in European capitals to fete him left Putin looking like an outsider.

On Saturday, the two discussed four issues:

Putin supported Ukraine's bid to invite Western European nations to create an international consortium to develop a pipeline to transport natural gas from Russia to Europe. Russia previously had insisted the pipeline be developed only with Ukraine.

Putin said a joint venture involving western European partners "would be more transparent and more civilized." He mentioned Germany as a potential partner.

Yushchenko gave no final answer on whether Kiev would pull out of the Kremlin-promoted United Economic Space for closer economic and trade links between Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Kazakhstan. He said the first step should focus on creating a free-trade zone.

The two presidents also discussed Russia's Black Sea fleet based in Ukraine's port of Sevastopol.

"There's no question of the Black Sea fleet base being liquidated," Yushchenko said, amid concerns in Moscow that if Ukraine joins NATO, it could revoke Russia's lease on the naval base. The lease runs until 2017.

Yushchenko also said he and Putin agreed to fully demarcate borders between the two countries.

A Moscow court on Saturday extended by 10 days the detention of the main suspect in the attempted assassination of Russia's powerful former privatization czar Anatoly Chubais, the Interfax news agency reported.

Chubais, who escaped unhurt in Thursday's roadside ambush, now heads the state-controlled electricity monopoly. He has said he had been expecting an attack and knew who may have been responsible, but refused to divulge any names.

Police detained 57-year-old Vladimir Kvachkov, a retired colonel who also had worked for the defense ministry as a civilian employee.

A Moscow court on Saturday authorized the suspect to be held in custody for 10 days at the request of prosecutors, Interfax reported. No charges have been filed.

[Last modified March 20, 2005, 01:09:07]