In the letter, which was sent Thursday to NATO headquarters in Brussels, President Viktor Yushchenko and Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych invited Scheffer to attend July 8-10 celebrations in Kiev, the capital of Ukraine, dedicated to the 10th anniversary of the signing of the Charter on partnership between Ukraine and NATO.
The U.S. House of Representatives gave final backing to NATO's further eastward enlargement, including bids from ex-Soviet Georgia and Ukraine on Monday, promising a total of $12 million in aid to the two countries and former Communist-bloc members Albania, Croatia and Macedonia in 2008. The bill has yet to be signed by the president.
Moscow strongly opposes efforts by Georgia and Ukraine to join the alliance, saying the prospect threatens its security and prompts a new arms race.
