Ukraine gets UK backing over NATO membership

Ukraine "has the backing from Great Britain in our strive for a full-fledged membership in the European Union and NATO", Ukrainian President Victor Yuschenko said in a statement Thursday after talks with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

The joint statement stressed that "Ukraine has a potential to strengthen the well-being and security of the European Union. Right after Ukraine achieves necessary criteria, it should become a full-fledged member of the EU", reports the Russian news agency Itar-Tass.

The statement also said that Great Britain "will help Ukraine become a NATO member as soon as possible".