Ukrainian parliamentary speaker hits out at foreign policy

The Ukrainian parliament's speaker criticized on Wednesday the country's NATO ambitions and urged radical changes in Kiev's foreign policies.

KIEV, October 21 (RIA Novosti) - The Ukrainian parliament's speaker criticized on Wednesday the country's NATO ambitions and urged radical changes in Kiev's foreign policies.

The presidential election campaign officially got underway in Ukraine this week. The elections are set for January 17, 2010. The polls are the first since the 2004 "orange revolution" that swept President Viktor Yushchenko to power.

"The course announced five years ago is a complete failure, it is invalid and does not correspond to the sentiments and aspirations of our nationals," Volodymyr Lytvyn said at a People's Party congress, according to the Unian news agency. Lytvyn is the party's candidate in next year's elections.

"Ukraine should and will be an independent state," the parliament's speaker said, adding that joining NATO would do nothing to unite the former Soviet republic.

"We will do everything to build our first and foremost security belt - the establishing of predictable and constructive relations with our neighbors," Lytvyn also said.

Ukraine's foreign minister, Petro Poroshenko, will pay a visit to Moscow on Friday. The diplomat, appointed on October 9, has been pushing for a resumption of dialogue between Moscow and Kiev.

Ukrainian opinion polls make Viktor Yanukovych, the president's opponent in the 2004 race, the leading contender, along with former ally and now rival Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko.

Both Yanukovych, a former premier backed by Russian-speaking eastern regions, and Tymoshenko are expected to improve ties with Russia if elected. Relations between Russia and Ukraine have worsened dramatically over Yushchenko's pursuit of NATO membership, natural gas prices and other issues.

Yushchenko is currently lagging in opinion polls, with just under 10%. Some 7% of respondents say they would vote for Lytvyn.