During his visit to Ukraine, U.S. president George W. Bush declared he backed Ukraine’s membership of NATO, although Russia has expressed its displeasure with NATO’s growing supremacy.

Ukraine is only the start of President Bush’s European tour, which will continue in Croatia, Russia and Romania, for the NATO summit.

Bush had planned to visit Ukraine several years ago, but he postponed his visit, due to the conflict between Ukraine’s president and prime minister that was taking place in Kiev in that period. The American president finally arrived in the country, on the occasion of Ukraine’s decision to join NATO.

Bush is encouraging Ukraine’s efforts, though NATO’s European members are very suspicious about this move and Russia strongly opposes it.

"Your nation has made a bold decision, and the United States strongly supports your request," Bush told a news conference in Kiev, according to Reuters.

He also said he would lobby both for Ukraine and Georgia to be granted Membership Action Plans (MAP) during the NATO summit in Romania.

"In Bucharest this week, I will continue to make America's position clear. We support MAP for Ukraine and Georgia. Helping Ukraine move towards NATO membership is in the interest of every member in the alliance and will help advance security and freedom in this region and around the world," he declared.

For the majority of Ukrainians, joining NATO does not represent a priority. Only 30 percent of the population in the former Soviet state supports the movement.

In the morning before Bush’s arrival, a few thousands of protesters with anti-Bush posters gathered in the Independence Square in the center of Kiev, to shout anti-NATO slogans.