Dmytro, Zaporizhzhya
I believe Russia started in Kiev.... and it was once the captial...
I could be wrong. But if you want membership then do not expect the same cheap commodites from Russia, you will have to pay european prices... Cannot have the cake and eat it too..

Darren, London,

For Ukraine MAP is not only the matter of NATO membership in future, it is the matter of survival as a nation. MAP will provide great impetus to all progressive elements to go on with reforms Ukraine badly needs. Ukraine will continue to integrate into European economy, education and culture. It is not possible to ignore and prevent global processes now even if you have nuclear weapons and huge natural resources to offset your crucial mistakes. Finally, this is the matter of Ukraine to join or not any entity. The exodus is very painful and hard, but there is no other way back.

Pavlo, Kiev, Ukraine

This is a very dangerous situation, which will lead to the rearmement of Russia and to possible conflict.

nick, london,

1. Poland had made Yushchenko President of the Ukraine, and now they want to make Ukraine a NATO member. They think that they are ruler of center europe. We dont agree !!!!

Boris, Moscow,

Bush is ignorant ot the world geo-political map when he pushes for Ukraine and Georgia to be admitted to NATO . Sure, I like Georgia and Ukraine but they are right on Mother Russia's borders. It's like Russia asking Mexico and Canada to join the old Warsaw Pact and not expecting any reaction from the U.S.A.. It only courts trouble and baits Russia which, after all, is not a country to fool around with. Germany, France and Britain know that well. Bush, the international clown, does not.

Jim Guinnessey, West Palm Beach, Florida,USA

US is now like Roman Empire and Bush is like a Caesar and Russia, China or Iran are like the barbariens kingdoms.

GIGI, bucharest, Romania

Polish and Czech Star Wars spying stations does not mean more than
that. Strategically they are worth just one more additional rocket
each. I do not think they can reasonably expect anyone jeopardising
multiple-head ballistic rocket because of their silly spying towers
sticking out on their territory? Most likely they will get the first
blow anyway, even before any conflict happens. The value of Polish military
is not much value anyway, they better be in NATO.

RG Weiss, St Petersburg, Russia

when is Bush going to wear a suit that fits properly?

Chris, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Hm,
Democracy must have been Mr. Bush's most difficult word to spell in primary school. At this age and he still can't understand the meaning of it.

Sophia, Thessaloniki, Macedonia, Greece

It appears someone is trying very hard to make Europe the battlefield for another war. Pity they may succeed. Pity most of the Europeans support this madness.

Victor, St Petersburt, Russia

Ukrain still have a long road in his way to join ue and nato to more respect for human rights,in ukraian pols only 30 percent want country join to nato.And Rusia no want to loose a comunist
friend..

boldor eugen, dej cluj county, Romania

.
I cannot conceive a more aggressive move for the west than this ukrainian candidacy , is someone trying to start WW3 ???
All this democracy talk is a coat of righteousness on a pretty ugly bear baiting exercise .

.

j. Guerin, Sydney , australia

Perhaps Mr. Bush will be supporting NATO membership for an independent Quebec sometime before he leaves office (and after all, why not? - who can be opposed to freedom for all?)

henry laycock, kingston, canada

Thank you, President Bush.

Shame on yoy, Germany and France!

Dmytro, Ukraine

Dmytro, Zaporizhzhya, Ukraine

Dmytro, Zaporizhzhya, Ukraine
Sure, let Ukraine be a NATO member, if majority of Ukranians are supporting it. Its called democracy. However, once Ukraine is in NATO, it will face consequences. Russia is an independent country and its free to execrcise the freedom of choice in its policy if it feels that Ukraine is hostile to Russia. So don't be surprised please, your country makes its choice, Russia is free to make a choice that you may not like at all. It's called diplomacy.
As about your memories of 1918, I suggest remember 1942 when Ukraine ultra-nationalist were happy to participate in Holoucast. I hope that you remember that as well as 1944 when Ukraine was freed from German occupation. I know that it would be silly to expect any grattitude from Ukraine, but Russia should definetely expect full payments for the natural gas. Good luck in NATO, you still have a lot of time to fight in Afganistan! I am sure that this war will be there by the time Ukraine joins NATO.

Oleg, Toronto, Canada

Russia is not trying to decide who belongs to NATO and who does not, it is Ukrainian President, and not Ukrainian people who is deciding. More than a half of the Ukrainian population is voting against NATO membership. Russia has moral rights to present its claims because it was promised that NATO borders would not be expanded after the fall of the Berlin Wall and the signing of the Wersaw Treaty. If NATO members uphold the idea of collective security then Russia should be given a place in the alliance to uphold the military balance in the world.
Why America is so desparate to place anti-missile systems near Russian borders? Why NATO expanding eastwards? Why in the Wall Street Journal it was expressly implied that America should construct the Russian political system and not Russia itself? From my point of view, American politics is aggressive.

Anna, Grimsby, UK

Russia has no rights? Do you know, that America's rockets will stand now near OUR borders? Of course, that is not our decision about Ucraine, but it concerns our, russians, security. And most of ukrains are not agree with Yushchenko decision. Is this democracy? And we can't to be included in NATO, it sounds funny after all relations that Russia has with US.

Alla, Moscow,

And I belive it shouldn't :).

Alla, Moscow,

Thank you, President Bush for supporting Ukrainian aspirations to re-join European community, to which we had belonged since early Middle Ages and till Russian occupation in 1918. Shame on you Germany and France, for backing Russian KGB regime and objecting to Ukraine's NATO entance.
Dmytro, Eastern Ukraine
PS: Dear The Times editors, the name of our 1500-year-old capital is "Kyiv", not "Kiev'

Dmytro, Zaporizhzhya, Ukraine

I believe, Ukraine have to join NATO. For our FUTURE!!!

Eugen Cherevko, Odessa, Ukraine

For all of us, Russian, South-Russian, Ukrainian, South Ossetian, Abkhazian and so on, it is a good lesson about western interpretation of democracy. People said and say NO for anti-Russian games, rude ukranization, Georgian's colonization, murder of pro-Russian politician and activists and so on.

Mikhail, Penza, Russia

If there is one thing I love about Pres. Bush, it's his straight-forward type of talk. He doesn't cower away from Russia, or anyone else, the way the French and Germans do. Though this 'cowboy diplomacy' is usually not a good way of doing politics, it works very well with bullies like Russia and China.

Haile , Cleveland, USA/ OHIO

Russia has no right to decide who belongs and who doesn't, the way in which they are beginning to act suggests that they will soon start colonising countries such as these. The sooner that they stop acting like beligerent adolescents the better fo all, themselves included.

Dennis, Taplow, U.K.