"It is particuliarly important to extend the values of what NATO stands for to the whole of Europe," Wolfowitz said in a speech at Warsaw University.

"Our objective of a Europe whole and free will not be complete until Ukraine is a full pledged member of Europe.

"As President (George W.) Bush said here in Warsaw, we must extend our hand to Ukraine as Poland has done with such determination," he added.

Ukraine announced in 2002 that it planned to join NATO and has set 2011 as a target date for starting negotiations on European Union membership.

But outgoing President Leonid Kuchma has recently sought to move closer to Russia, stepping back from Kiev's drive for NATO and EU accession and agreeing to form an economic space with Moscow and two other major ex-Soviet republics.

His annointed successor, Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich, is lagging in opinion polls behind liberal opposition candidate Viktor Yushchenko, who has promised to pursue Ukraine's Western integration.

But a recent survey showed Ukrainians are highly skeptical that the election will be honest, with nearly two-thirds saying they believe the results will be falsified.

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