U.S. commits cash for Kiev's nuclear aims

WASHINGTON, Feb. 17 (UPI) -- Washington said it would commit millions of dollars to help Ukraine build a peaceful nuclear energy program, an official statement confirmed.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Kostiantyn Hryshchenko discussed nuclear energy issues in Washington.

Clinton said Washington was committed to providing Kiev with financial and technical assistance amounting to $50 million for a peaceful nuclear energy program.

Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych said during a nuclear energy summit in 2010 that his country was keen to advance its uranium enrichment program for energy and medicine.

Both sides during their Washington meeting focused on shale gas and ways to advance energy security in the European community, the National News Agency of Ukraine reports.

"We want to see Ukraine prosper and think that there is an enormous opportunity for that," said Clinton in a statement.

Kiev was hit hard by the global financial crisis just as its energy ties to Moscow were suffering from payment and contract disputes.

The Ukrainian government is trying to solidify the country's position as a transit hub after Russian energy company Gazprom cut gas supplies in 2009.