Yanukovych wants foreign nations to stay out of Ukraine conflict
KYIV. Jan 23 (Interfax) - President Viktor Yanukovych insisted on Thursday that foreign countries "stop fighting each other for control of Ukraine."
"What help can we get from politicians in the East and West? They must stop fighting each other for control of Ukraine. Our people can cope with the problems that we are experiencing now by themselves. We are grateful to them for their intentions, of course. But let's face it - at times behind those good intentions is nothing else than a struggle for control of Ukraine. We are an independent state. Our people are mature enough. We want and can choose the future for our country by ourselves," Yanukovych said in a statement made available to Interfax.
"Ukraine has had a difficult history right from the start, from the times of the Kievan state, because our land lies on the border between East and West. The influence of two such different civilizations has been bound to affect the mentality of various parts of our single - single, let me repeat, - people," the president said.
"For that reason, our people have experienced great difficulties throughout their history. There have been tremendous losses, there have been tragedies. But simultaneously there has always been the people's will to unify Ukraine. Many a brilliant head has been sacrificed for this idea," he said.
"Providence had it that it was in the Soviet era that Ukraine again became a unified state. And it will remain undivided. I guarantee this to you. For as long as I am the leader of Ukraine no one will be able to divide it," Yanukovych said.