Ukraine: The presidents of Russia and Ukraine made a concerted effort to put their relations on a sound footing on Saturday, but left key outstanding issues unresolved.
Russian leader Vladimir Putin and new, pro-western Ukrainian president Viktor Yushchenko went out of their way to praise the atmosphere at their talks.
"Our meeting made us realise there are no questions to which we cannot find answers," Mr Yushchenko told a news conference. "We have taken a very important step to make relations between Ukraine and Russia highly constructive."
Mr Putin agreed, saying: "There are questions we need to solve jointly. But this is the normal way of co-operation."
Mr Putin's visit was his first to Ukraine since Mr Yushchenko's victory in December following the "orange revolution" mass protests against election fraud. He had visited twice during the campaign, openly backing Mr Yushchenko's opponent.
But his comments after talks in Paris on Friday with the leaders of France, Germany and Spain made it plain he had put behind him his support for the new president's rivals.
Mr Yushchenko describes Russia as an "eternal strategic partner" and kept a campaign promise to make Moscow his first destination, travelling there the day after his inauguration.
But his government has pledged to move Ukraine out of Moscow's political orbit into the European mainstream, with the eventual aim of EU membership. - (Reuters)