Biden, Yushchenko Discuss Women, Churches

Politics and energy apparently weren't the only topics of conversation between Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko and U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, who paid an official visit to Kyiv today.

The two men ended their discussion in an Irish pub, where Biden praised the beauty of Ukrainian women. They also reportedly discussed their favorite churches.

Biden was overheard saying: "I cannot believe that a Frenchman visiting Kyiv went back home and told his colleagues he discovered something and didn't say he discovered the most beautiful women in the world." It was unclear which Frenchman Biden was referring to.

The pair seem to have enjoyed the unscheduled stopover away from the cameras. According to our correspondent Brian Whitmore, who is traveling with Biden, the vice-president left the pub with his arm wrapped around Yushchenko's shoulder.

But this friendly embrace should in no way be attributed to an excess of Irish ale; Biden and his host reportedly stuck to Coke.

-- Claire Bigg