Yanukovych accuses US of financing opposition campaign

Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych accused the United States today of meddling in Ukraine’s internal affairs, claiming the Americans financed opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko’s presidential campaign.

Yanukovych said the “interference” can be described as Western pressure intended to exert the will of the US on this country of 48 million.

“The United States’ meddling into Ukraine’s internal affairs is obvious,” he said. “It is appearing as the financing of Yushchenko’s campaign.”

Yanukovych is running against Yushchenko in a December 26 re-run mandated after the Supreme Court ruled that a November 21 run-off election was marred by fraud.

President George Bush’s administration has spent more than £34m (€49.2m) in the past two years to aid political organisations in Ukraine. US officials say the activities don’t amount to interference in Ukraine’s election but are part of the £520m (€751.8m) the US State Department spends each year trying to build democracy worldwide.

No American funds were sent directly to Ukrainian political parties, US officials say.

“The financing is unacceptable,” Yanukovych said.

He said he “stands for democratic values propagated in the United States and for trade and cultural ties.”

He also distanced himself from his alleged ties with the Kremlin, saying “I’ve never used any help from any politicians but Ukrainian ones.”

“Russia remains Ukraine’s strategic partner,” he said, even as he stressed that political alliances “between Yanukovych and Russia do not exist.”