U.S. DEFENSE SECRETARY RUMSFELD TO VISIT UKRAINE JUNE 4-5

Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld will visit Ukraine June 4-5 as part of a five-day trip to Europe.

In Kyiv Mr. Rumsfeld is scheduled to meet with his Ukrainian counterpart, Minister of Defense Oleksandr Kuzmuk, with Mr. Yevhen Marchuk, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council, as well as with President Leonid Kuchma.

Secretary Rumsfeld will sign a joint protocol agreement with General Kuzmuk that will allow the United States and Ukraine to continue pursuing ongoing discussions and studies. The signing ceremony will take place at the Ministry of Defense Officer’s Club.

Prior to arriving in Ukraine, Secretary Rumsfled will first visit Turkey to meet with senior government officials and with U.S. military personnel who are stationed there. From Ukraine, the Secretary will travel to Macedonia and Kosovo to meet with American personnel who are supporting NATO peacekeeping efforts in Southeastern Europe.

Secretary Rumsfeld also plans to go to Greece and then to Belgium for a meeting of the North Atlantic Council on Defense. The Secretary will end his trip with visit to Finland for a meeting of the Nordic-Baltic-U.S. ministerial.

Media accreditation is being handled by the press services of the Ministry of Defense and Presidential Administration.