Cheney on Friday, Sept.
5, is first set to meet Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko for one-on-one talks, followed by lunch with President Viktor Yushchenko. In addition to discussing the Georgia conflict, Cheney is expected to encourage the leaders to work out their differences and patch up their crumbling coalition government.
Tensions mount Ukraine coalition crumbles amid power struggle ...
Tensions flare on Georgian borders ... over Georgian war Bildunterschrift: Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift: Time for Yushchenko and Tymoshenko to kiss and make up? Tymoshenko and Yushchenko have been feuding in recent weeks over Ukraine's ties to Russia. Yushchenko's office had accused the prime minister of failing to support Georgia when Russian troops invaded the Georgian enclave of South Ossetia early last month.
Meanwhile, Tymoshenko has denied reports that she has tilted towards Moscow and is about to form a new coalition with the pro-Russian opposition. However, she has not openly criticized Russia over the Georgia crisis.
Their feud culminated in the president's parliamentary allies walking out of the alliance on Tuesday and with Yushchenko threatening to dissolve parliament and call for an election if a new government is not formed within 30 days.
It would be the third election in as many years in Ukraine, where Yushchenko swept to power in a 2004 "Orange Revolution" with the promise of greater integration with the West.
Cheney's visit to the country comes as European officials suggest Ukraine could be the next flashpoint for tensions between Russia and the West following the war in Georgia.
Ukraine has applied to join the NATO alliance as well as the European Union, a move that has been supported by the Bush administration but one which has angered Moscow, which considers Ukraine to be within its sphere of influence.
Caught between East and West Bildunterschrift: Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift: With tough times in its past, Ukraine has the Bush administration's support in joining NATO With Ukraine's coalition now divided, political leaders have voiced concern that the Kremlin might try to capitalize on the nation's persistent political instability.
In light of the Caucasus conflict, Yushchenko has said that he sees NATO membership as essential in order to protect Ukraine's territorial integrity.
In addition to addressing Ukraine's future with the alliance, the vice president's visit is also aimed at demonstrating US support for Georgia and securing allies like Ukraine against Russia.
During his time in Tbilisi on Thursday, Cheney slammed Russia's actions against Georgia, calling its military invasion an "illegitimate act that undermined its credibility." He also reiterated the US' support for Georgian membership in NATO.
While in Ukraine, Cheney is also slated to visit the Holodomor memorial to the country's famine victims before continuing on to Italy in the afternoon.
(Deutsche Welle)
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