AP Interview: Yanukovych seeks deeper US ties, moving on path to EU membership

AP Interview: Yanukovych seeks deeper US ties

NEW YORK — The Ukrainian president, who has repaired relations with neighboring Russia and taken his country out of the running for NATO membership, said on Wednesday he wants to improve strategic relations with the United States.

Viktor Yanukovych also said that despite restoring historically close ties with fellow Slavs in Russian, his nation is determined to win membership in the European Union.

“The people of Ukraine and Russia are very close. And this allows us to solve many economic issues. It’s a good factor, The human factor,” he said.