Clinton starts former Soviet tour in Ukraine

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is in the Ukrainian capital, Kiev, at the start of a five-nation tour of former communist states.



The trip, announced over a month ago, is intended to reaffirm relations with ex-Soviet states, after a renewal of ties between Washington and Moscow.



While in the Ukraine, Clinton will meet media and civil society groups as well as senior officials.



She’s also scheduled to visit Poland, Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia.

Washington is still readjusting to the election of the new President of Ukraine, Viktor Yanukovych, seen as being much more pro-Russian than his predecessor, the BBC's David Stern reports from Kiev.



Clinton is due to meet Yanukovych as well as Foreign Minister Kostyantyn Gryshchenko.