    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (2000, Book I)]
    [June 5, 2000]
    [Pages 1101-1102]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    [[Page 1101]]

    Remarks to the People of Ukraine in Kiev
    June 5, 2000

        I believe we should give a round of applause to Natalia and Kateryna. They were
    fabulous. Didn't they give a good--[applause]--they are a great
    representative of the young people of Ukraine. Let me also thank the
    representatives of your government who came here with me today, Deputy
    Head of Presidential Administration Rohovyi,
    Foreign Minister Tarasyuk. I'd like to thank
    Mayor Omelchenko and Patriarch
    Filaret and all the other distinguished
    representatives of the Ukraine Government who have joined me and the
    Secretary of Energy and my National Security
    Adviser and our two Ambassadors for a good
    day of meetings.
        I thank all of you for coming out here on this beautiful day. I am
    honored to be in Kiev again, to come to the cradle of Ukrainian culture,
    to pay respects to Ukraine's ancient and glorious past, and to tell you,
    America will stand by you as you fight for a free and prosperous future.
        Here in this historic and beautiful square, you can see for a
    thousand years: before me, the magnificent Saint Sophia's Cathedral,
    built by Prince Yaroslav in the 11th century; and behind me, the
    beautiful and reborn Saint Michael's Monastery, built by his grandson,
    with a stunning cathedral built since the last time I was here; between
    them, statues of Saints Olga and Andrew, Cyril and Methodius, all proof
    of your extraordinary artistic and cultural accomplishments.
        Sadly, the people who created and cherished these treasures suffered
    deeply. I am honored to have laid a wreath of flowers at the memorial to
    the millions who perished in the forced famine of the 1930's. Ukraine
    has endured oppressors who carved up your lands, banned your books,
    starved your children, purged your writers, enslaved your workers,
    plundered your art, stole your rich soil, and forbade you even to talk
    about the tragedy of the famine.
        Today, the oppressors are gone. Stalin is gone. The Nazis are gone.
    The Soviet Union is gone. Russia is working to build a new society. But
    you, the people of Ukraine, you are still here, stronger than ever. You
    are reclaiming your land, uniting your people, restoring your culture,
    and raising your children in freedom and democracy. You are fulfilling
    the longing of your ancestors. You are building a free, sovereign, and
    independent Ukraine.
        I know you have faced disappointments, and your dream is not
    complete. You have your vote, but you may ask, will it lead to have a
    real, positive impact? You have your freedom, but you may ask, will it
    lead to a better future?
        I ask you to look around you. From Lithuania to Poland to the Czech
    Republic, those who chose open societies and open markets like you
    started out with sacrifice, but they ended up with success. I have not
    lived what you have lived. I am an American, not an Ukrainian. I cannot
    tell you how to build your future. But I do believe this: I believe
    Ukraine has the best opportunity in 1,000 years to achieve both freedom
    and prosperity.
        You are on your way. President Kuchma has
    helped to pass a strong budget. He has moved to give people their own
    land, to reform the old government bureaucracy, to privatize new
    businesses in accord with international standards, and he has appointed
    a strong Prime Minister. But my friends,
    you too must be strong leaders. You must encourage the government. You
    must exhort the Rada. You must build a free and prosperous Ukraine. Do
    not give up. Keep on fighting. Boritesya poborete.
        There will be obstacles. I know some in Ukraine want to discourage
    foreign investment; they oppose free markets. But that thinking is lost
    in the past. But I ask you, look around the world today. The nations
    with the highest standards of living, the greatest security, the lowest
    poverty are free market democracies, people who trade and invest in one
    another.
        Communism has lost in Ukraine, but a full commitment to free market
    democracy has not yet won. If your children are to live their dreams, it
    must win. So again I ask you, do not give up. Keep on fighting.
    Boritesya poborete.
        America needs a strong, prosperous, and democratic Ukraine as a
    partner. Together we have made the whole world safer from the risk of
    nuclear war. Our soldiers are serving together with courage and pride in
    missions of peace. There is so much more we can do together.

    [[Page 1102]]

    We can explore the frontiers of science and space, increase our efforts
    to protect the environment, fight disease, defeat terrorism, and promote
    democracy, prosperity, and peace. These are challenges all nations face
    and no nation can meet alone. And so I say again, let us meet them
    together. We must not give up. We must keep on fighting.  Boritesya
    poborete.
        America believes Ukraine has a right to a place among the nations of
    Europe. No one must take that right away from you. We reject the idea
    that the eastern border of Europe is the western border of Ukraine. Of
    course, your future is your own choice. But we can, and we will, keep
    the door to the transatlantic community of democracies open to Ukraine.
        Ukraine has so much of what it takes to succeed in the global
    information age--strong universities, an educated society, and partners
    willing to stand with you. All you need now is to stay on course and
    pick up speed, open the economy, strengthen the rule of law, promote
    civil society, protect the free press, break the grip of corruption.
        In Ukraine, I understand you have a saying, ``He who is an hour late
    will spend a year catching up.'' People of Ukraine, seize this moment
    now for your nation and your children. And so I say for the last time,
    Boritesya poborete.
        In the cathedrals around me, I see Ukraine's past. In the faces of
    all the young people before me, I see Ukraine's future. It is a
    promising future. You have kept alive your language, your unity, your
    dream of independence for 1,000 years. You have what it takes to build
    the future of your dreams. Your parents battled tyranny to help you win
    your freedom. Now, you must use your freedom to make sure you and your
    children prosper in peace. America is your friend and your partner.
        Again, I thank you for coming to be with me today. Again I say,
    America will be with you all the way.
        God bless you.  Slava Ukrainiy.

     Note:  The President spoke at 6:30 p.m. in St. Michael's Square. In his
    remarks, he referred to students Natalia Voinorovska and Kateryna Yasko,
    who introduced the President; Deputy Head of Presidential Administration
    Vasyl Rohovyi, Minister of Foreign Affairs Borys Tarasyuk, Prime
    Minister Viktor Yushchenko, and President Leonid Kuchma of Ukraine;
    Ukrainian Ambassador to the U.S. Konstantin Hryshchenko; Mayor Oleksandr
    Omelchenko of Kiev; U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Steven K. Pifer; and
    Ukraine Orthodox Church-Kiev Patriarch Filaret. A portion of these
    remarks could not be verified because the tape was incomplete.