Ukraine wants to join EU while preserving ties with Russia: Kuchma

"We are headed towards the European home," he said: "This is a necessity for present and future generations, and for all those who want to become Europeans in the unified Europe of the 21st century while remaining Ukrainians."

But this did not mean Kiev intended to weaken its key relationship with Moscow, its first trade partner and main energy supplier, the Ukrainian leader added.

"Ukraine's European choice does not mean in any way that we are walking away from our strategic partnership with the Russian Federation," he said: "Russia remains one of our main political and economic partners."

Ukrainian Prime Minister Anatoly Zlenko also insisted Saturday that Ukraine wanted both to become part of the European Union and to step up its ties with Russia.

Ukraine has "no other perspective than to join the European Union and no other choice than to strengthen its relations with Russia," Interfax news agency quoted him as saying.

While Moscow is Kiev's first trade partner and a vital energy supplier, Ukraine hopes to join the European Union around 2010.

The EU is its first source of financial assistance, and has paid Kiev over one billion euros (1.15 billion dollars) since Ukraine achieved independence in 1991 with the collapse of the Soviet Union, to which it had belonged.

But the EU has repeatedly warned Kiev over alleged violations of press freedom amd lack of democracy.

Europe's foreign policy chief Javier Solana last February called on Ukrainian authorities to ensure press freedoms and improve relations with the opposition if they wish to obtain closer relations with the European Union.