Kiev's leadership is killing the hen that lays the golden egg. It is impossible for an average person to understand this vendetta attitude. What are the crimes that Russia has committed against the Ukrainian people? Does Yushchenko really think that the world will believe his blatant propaganda lies about the deliberate starvation of the Ukrainian people by Stalin? Does he think people are ignorant of history, of the terrible famine that ravaged the Soviet Union, including Russia. Do the Ukrainian people really believe that the United States is their friend? Will it feed them when they are hungry, provide them with heat when they are freezing, offer them the "blessings" of savage capitalism when there are no jobs and the country's economy is sinking? Mr. Yushchenko may have a pathological hatred toward Russia for a reason unkown to anybody. But to punish his own country because of his deranged emotions is a crime for which his people will never forgive him.

President Medvedev:You should call upon the former Ukrainian Ambassador to the United States, Yuri Scherback to ease tensions and bring about an economic revitalization. Ambassador Scherback is an extremely capable leader with friends around the world.

I said it already once, but apparently my comment didn't go through, so there we go again - simplified. It was about time that this happened. I think that this is lesson only socond best to the one Russia was obliged to teach last August. I hope it won't be lost not only on Ukrainian current leadership, but also on a whole bunch of lost souls in Eastern Europe, plus (and most important) on a certain club in the so called West. Isn't it sad that 'civilised world' politics is reduced to this level. BR Aleks

I deeply regret these misunderstandings in Russian-Ukranian relations, as I lived in Soviet Union as a foreigner and I know the ordinary people from both sides like and respect each other as equals. But in my humble opinion the UA president should rather consider who his neighbors are, a look at a map could be helpful. Furthermore, it sounds inconvenient but Viktor Y should think about where UAs energy supply comes from. Apparently not from Austria, I presume. I hope Viktor Y doesn’t believe that his knavish actions will be backed by the Europeans. Continental politicians are quite good in lamenting on civil rights, freedom and the likes. But they also know where the gas comes from their voters use to heat their homes.

How can a country survive when its government leadership is divided against itself. Geographically the country is divided anyway - Ukrainian in the west, Russian in the east. In the nineties it was beginning to fall apart and things looked very run-down and unkempt, both east and west, after the fall of the Soviet Union. Some people were making money, but it wasn't the millions of citizens who had to stuggle to survive and those whose wages were simply were not paid. Attempts to develop into a great nation continue to fail. It has been refused entry into the European Union, or rather, to "join the West". What future is there? If the government cannot get on with its neighbours, cannot convince the West, cannot pay its way for its imports, then perhaps it should step down and allow the people to vote again. As a last alternative it could unite with the Russian Federation and become one of its regions, not just a member of the CIS. It would solve the gas problem, the Black Sea problem, become a united economy, a united defence force (nearer Europe?) and would be open to the benefits of world investment the same as Russia has today. History is fully understood and there are obviously still many bitter people in Ukraine as a result of the Soviet Union's treatment of them. No one can deny that. However, time moves on and its people must look to their future and ensure that their leadership is united and competent to run the country. Otherwise, alternatives must be made in order to prevent poverty and a fallen nation.