[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.