What meetings he has had with representatives of Ukraine since the recent presidential elections.

I represented the United Kingdom at the inauguration of President Yushchenko in Kiev last Sunday and had talks with senior officials who are expected to take up ministerial posts. I expressed our Government's support for the ambitious programme of President Yushchenko to develop Ukraine as a European democratic market economy under the rule of law.

A Vice-President of the European Commission was reported yesterday as saying that the idea of Ukraine's future membership of the EU was "realistic". Does my hon. Friend agree with that assessment?

In broad terms—but let me quote President Yushchenko himself. In his policy statement, "The European choice for Ukraine", he said:

"We are realists: Ukraine's membership in the EU is not a question for today."

Yesterday, Javier Solana published an ambitious 10-point programme on how the EU can help Ukraine. I welcome the fact that Ukraine has chosen to direct its future towards Europe and developing European norms of a market economy, the rule of law, respect for human rights and cleaning up corruption. I only wish that more Members of this House were as enthusiastic about the EU.

Of course Ukraine's membership of the EU is not a matter for today, for tomorrow or for next year. Does the Minister recognise that Ukraine has been through an incredibly fraught period since the end of the Soviet Union? Now, it has made the difficult decision to lock itself into the path of the rule of law and market reform, as he says, and President Yushchenko deserves huge support in his efforts to accomplish that. Ukraine's directing itself toward eventual membership of the EU is very much in its interest and ours, and I hope that there will be no diplomatic timidity about encouraging that.

There is certainly no diplomatic timidity on my part. I entirely agree with the right hon. Gentleman's comments—he is right. I said all that on the record yesterday in Kiev. Regrettably, my support for Ukraine's European ambitions did not get the wide front-page coverage that I might have hoped for—but we live for the next day. I encourage all hon. Members with an interest in Ukraine to travel there; I want more tourism and more trade contacts with that country. Let us not underestimate the democratic revolution that occurred between mid-November and the inauguration on Sunday: to see hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians demanding a new country was a marvellous moment in European history, and we should celebrate it. I hope that Britain will be a strong friend of Ukraine in the coming years.

Few people would accuse the hon. Gentleman of ever being timid—or often being diplomatic. Does he agree that Ukraine has every bit as much right as Turkey to count itself a European nation?

Quite so—I leave diplomacy to diplomats. The Government have clearly expressed their support for Ukraine as an entirely European country, and for Kiev's position as one of the cradle cities of European civilisation. I hope that in the coming years, Britain will continue to give Ukraine every possible assistance in realising its European ambitions.