    [Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 36, Number 23 (Monday, June 12, 2000)]
    [Pages 1304-1306]
    [Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    <R04>
    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 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.

    [[Page 1305]]

        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 a thousand 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. 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

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    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 a thousand 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 tape was not available
    for verification of the content of these remarks.