Ukraine says Poland's membership of the EU could damage bilateral relations

The President of Ukraine, Leonid Kuchma, has warned that Poland's membership of the European Union could damage ties with its neighbour.

Mr Kuchma told a meeting in Poland in the southern city of Rzeszov of officials and business leaders from the two countries that Polish membership could bring unwelcome changes on Ukraine's border.

A new division of Europe, he said, must be avoided.

President Kuchma also addressed concerns over investing in Ukraine; he pledged that there would be no turning back from the road of reforms.

The Polish President, Aleksander Kwasniewski, called on the international financial institutions to help Ukraine, saying there could be no reforms without financial support.

The Lithuanian president, Valdas Adamkus, also attended the event.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service