Yushchenko hailed as hero by hypocrites; Asks bankrupt nation for economic aid

US Congress cheers Ukraine leader

Mr Yushchenko - who has been hailed as a hero throughout a four-day visit to the US - received a rapturous welcome on Capitol Hill on Wednesday.

Members of Congress cheered and chanted his name as he walked to the platform.

The Ukrainian president - who was elected in December in a re-run of a disputed election - said US support had been "clear and unambiguous".

"The US condemned fraud and upheld Ukrainians’ right to freely elect their government," he added.

During his address on Wednesday, some members of Congress - like the Ukrainian leader himself - wore orange ties, a symbol of the bloodless "Orange Revolution" that brought him to power. Orange is the colour of Mr Yushchenko’s party.

Yushchenko was honored with this year’s John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award, presented annually to public servants who have made courageous decisions of conscience without regard for the consequences.

The slain president’s brother, Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, said the Ukrainian recipient’s actions inspired those struggling for democracy across the globe.

At a critical moment in his nation's history, he took a strong and courageous stand for what he knew was right. He risked his life, and nearly lost it, in the ongoing struggle for democracy in Ukraine,'' Kennedy, D-Mass., said. <a href=" US Congress cheers Ukraine leader">Yushchenko Asks Congress for Economic Aid</a> Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko, seen as living proof of the former Soviet republic's desire for democratic change, told Congress Wednesday thata civil society has matured in Ukraine’’ and asked for economic support to spur further progress.

``Our goal is to place Ukraine among prosperous democracies,’’

In addition, Yushchenko requested that the United States:

– Erect a new shelter over the Chernobyl power plant’s destroyed nuclear reactor.

– Pay for educational programs for Ukrainians to study in the United States.

– Waive visa requirements for some visiting Ukrainians, and

– Include Ukraine in a Bush administration program that awards aid to countries based on economic and democratic reforms.

The Ukrainian leader vowed to bring to justice the killers of Gongadze and others. "Everyone who was killing politicians and journalists, who was leading the country towards a split, will stand trial," he said. "We have the political will to restore the Ukrainians’ faith in justice. Our top priority task is to secure the independence of the judiciary."