President George W. Bush met with visiting President Viktor Yushchenko of Ukraine on Monday, voicing support for Kiev's accession to NATO over strong objections from Russia. “We discussed the NATO and membership application process. We discussed energy independence. We discussed ways that we can work together to bring stability and peace to parts of the world,” Bush said at the White House. Yushchenko sought to reassure Bush about recent political turmoil in Ukraine, where the ruling pro-Western alliance has collapsed and some officials warn that any quick elections could result in a victory for pro-Moscow parties. Moscow has seen relations with former Soviet republics and the West deteriorate sharply since its early August war with Georgia, after years of tensions over access to energy supplies controlled by Russia. “We raised the issue of energy cooperation, which is a very urgent issue for us,” Yushchenko told reporters.
