1991 1 AUGUSTUS
President G.H.W. Bush in Kiev 1
We support the struggle in this great country for democracy and economic reform
Centuries ago, your forebears named this country Ukraine, or ‘frontier,’ because your steppes link Europe and Asia. But Ukrainians have become frontiersmen of another sort. Today you explore the frontiers and contours of liberty. Though my stay here is, as I said, far too short, I have come here to talk with you and to learn. And for those who love freedom, every experiment in building an open society offers new lessons and insights. You face an especially daunting task. For years, people in this nation felt powerless, overshadowed by a vast government apparatus, cramped by forces that attempted to control every aspect of their lives. And today, your people probe the promise of freedom. In cities and Republics, on farms, in businesses, around university campuses, you debate the fundamental questions of liberty, self-rule, and free enterprise. Americans, you see, have a deep commitment to these values. We follow your progress with a sense of fascination, excitement, and hope. This alone is historic. In the past, our nations engaged in duels of eloquent bluff and bravado. And now, the fireworks of superpower confrontation are giving way to the quieter and far more hopeful art of cooperation. I come here to tell you: We support the struggle in this great country for democracy and economic reform.
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