NATO and EU salute Ukraine’s Yanukovich

NATO and the European Union’s new president joined US President Barack Obama in congratulating Viktor Yanukovich yesterday on his election in Ukraine, as the West looked to extend a hand to the Moscow- leaning leader.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown called the election “a vigorous display of democracy” and said Britain would continue to back Ukrainian aspirations to join the EU.

NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen warmly welcomed Yanuk- ovich’s election – although his presidential challenger Yulia Tymoshenko has yet to concede defeat – a clear sign NATO wants to keep Ukraine’s allegiance.