Ukraine's leading English-language newspaper since 1995

Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko President Viktor Yushchenko, who is a candidate in the 2010 presidential elections, has said that his popularity ratings are currently low compared with his popularity ratings at the beginning of his presidency because of his adherence to his principles.

Yuschenko was speaking during the "Big Politics" program on the Inter television channel on November 27.

Yuschenko said that he was not one of those politicians that betrayed their convictions because they cared about their popularity ratings.

In particular, he said that he has remained loyal to his conviction that it is necessary for Ukraine to participate in the European collective security system, in the country's language policy, his commitment to creation of a single local church, and issues of history throughout his presidency.

Yuschenko also said that the proportion of Ukrainians that support accession of the country to NATO has increased from 14% to 33% during his presidency.

Yuschenko said he believed that that the country would be thrown back if he was not reelected as president and if his policies were not continued.

As Ukrainian News earlier reported, 35.6% of the respondents in a poll that the Research & Branding Group conducted from November 17 to 25 said they would vote for the Party of the Regions' leader Viktor Yanukovych, 17.9% said they would vote for Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, and 3.9% said they would vote for Yuschenko if presidential elections were held during that period.