UKRAINE: KUCHMA AND PUTIN DISCUSS ECONOMIC LINKS

(12 Feb 2001) Russian/Nat President Vladimir Putin on Monday gave a much-needed lift to his embattled Ukrainian counterpart with deals to lower the cost of electricity supplies to Ukraine and create jobs. The agreement on rejoining the two former Soviet republics’ power grids should ease the energy crisis in Ukraine. The two presidents said the deal was the biggest achievement of Putin’s visit to Ukraine, a visit they portrayed as proof of their nations’ close ties and potential for developing joint technical and economic projects. The one-day talks were intended to showcase bilateral cooperation, which has been dented by tensions over Ukraine’s large debt for Russian natural gas. Monday’s meeting was also shadowed by large-scale opposition protests. Thousands of Ukrainians rallied in Kiev on Sunday for the third time in a week, demanding Kuchma’s ouster. The protesters allege that Kuchma was involved in the disappearance of an opposition-minded journalist last year. Putin said on the eve of his visit that the protests would not throw off cooperation between the nations. During his visit, Putin joined his beleaguered counterpart in a tour of the huge Yuzhmash aerospace factory in the industrial city of Dnipropetrovsk, a former missile plant now producing civilian rocket boosters. Kuchma served as the plant’s director from 1986 to 1992. As the presidents walked past rockets and spacecraft sitting in Yuzhmash’s giant hangars, workers shouted out calls for stronger ties. “We love Russia! If we stay together, everything will be fine,“ some workers shouted. SOUNDBITE: (Russian) “We are upkeeping and restoring previously severed ties relating to the core interests of both Russia and Ukraine. I support the President of Ukraine’s view that today’s agreement in the sphere of energy represents a huge step forward for both of our countries.“ SUPER CAPTION: Vladimir Putin, Russian President Find out more about AP Archive: Twitter: Facebook: ​​ Instagram: You can license this story through AP Archive: