WASHINGTON, Aug. 13 – The United States considers Ukraine a sovereign state that has the right to conduct independent policies, Philip J. Crowley, Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of Public Affairs of the U.S. Department of State, said, commenting on a letter by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to his Ukrainian counterpart, Viktor Yushchenko.

"Well, first of all, on the subject of Ukraine - it is a sovereign country. It has the right to pursue its interests in any way that it chooses. I think [U.S.] Vice President [Joe] Biden made that clear during his recent visit to Ukraine," he said.