producing countries which have reaped windfall profits because of high oil prices should use some of the money to offset the burden the prices place on poor countries. Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko appealed to the West to help his country pull even with the world's prosperous democracies. The freshly sworn-in Ukrainian leader said European Union membership would enable his country to break with post-Soviet stagnation and realign itself as a nation with western values and a full market economy. "My country has long been a wise, strong but sleeping elephant," said Yushchenko. "It is waking today." Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said his government's economic reforms and improved relations with other countries have assured Brazil sustained economic growth for years to come. He said he had returned to the World Economic Forum after two years to say "finally Brazil has made the decision to have a sustainable growth cycle. We can grow for the next 10, 15, 20 years." Hollywood star Sharon Stone interrupted a discussion of funding the war on poverty by pledging US$10,000 (euro7,700) to buy anti-malaria bed nets for Africa. She challenged the audience to join her and in a few minutes had accumulated pledges of US$1 million (euro770,000).
