He said the issue of Ukrainian membership of NATO might "emerge at some point, but we will not see it in the immediate future."

On one hand, Washington has made it clear that Ukrainian membership in NATO is out of the question, a State Department official said.

In foreign affairs, Yanukovych's cabinet was considered to be politically close to Russia, although declaring support for Ukrainian membership in the European Union.

In 2003 he visited the European Parliament to press the case for eventual Ukrainian membership of the European Union.

His predecessor Viktor Yushchenko had asked for Ukrainian membership early 2008.

Poland has likewise supported Ukrainian membership in the European Union and NATO.

In actual fact, Ukrainian membership in the long term is such a long way off that it is not in sight at all.

Let me also say at this point, however, that I cannot envisage Ukrainian membership of the EU for the foreseeable future.

For its part, the EU must send out a clear signal to show that there are prospects for Ukrainian membership of the EU.