US President George W Bush is to support Ukraine's membership of Nato as he starts a voyage to the former Soviet republic
US President George W Bush is to support Ukraine's membership of Nato as he starts a voyage to the former Soviet republic. He will then hold a last summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Mr Putin is leaving office in May, while Mr Bush's term ends next January.
Thousands of people gathered in front of the American embassy in Kiev to express their opposition to the NATO plans. U.S. President will try to convince sceptics in Nato that Ukraine should be welcomed as a member, said the US ambassador to Kiev, William Taylor.
European partners in Nato have been guarded about Ukrainian and Georgian ambitions to join in the face of heated opposition from Russia - including a threat to train nuclear weapons on Ukraine.
After Kiev, Mr Bush will travel to Bucharest for a Nato summit on Wednesday, and then stop in Croatia for two days, before travelling to Russia's Black Sea resort of Sochi for what are likely to be his final talks with Mr Putin.
According to polls, around 60 per cent of the population are against joining NATO.
