Moscow, 6 December 1999 (RFE/RL) - Russian President Boris
Yeltsin, who was hospitalized last week with suspected pneumonia, has
returned to the Kremlin and is meeting with Ukrainian President Leonid
Kuchma. His latest illness forced him to postpone signing a union treaty between Russia and Belarus and a meeting with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. Yeltsin and Kuchma are expected to discuss bilateral relations, economic issues, Russia's supply of gas and oil to Ukraine, and European security.
Kuchma, who is to meet Russian Premier Vladimir Putin, has said
that Russia is his top foreign policy priority. Later Kuchma is scheduled to leave for Paris to meet French President President Jacques Chirac. Kuchma wants French support in building closer ties between Kyiv and the EU. After France, Kuchma flies to Washington to meet President Bill Clinton.