UKRAINE CRUCIAL TO EUROPE’S FUTURE — RIFKIND.

British foreign secretary Malcolm Rifkind yesterday stated that Ukraine’s eventual admission to NATO is crucial to overcoming the USSR’s legacy in Europe. More than any other country, Ukraine shapes Europe’s geopolitical situation "because of its relevance to the collapse of the Russian empire," Rifkind said. He also called for abandoning the term "former Soviet Union" as a "psychological barrier" to be transcended, in order to avoid "unconsciously legitimizing the possibility that Russia may recreate an empire." (AP, March 10)

Russian Transcaucasus Commander Said to be Dismissed.