KIEV, Nov. 20 – Kiev views a new agreement of association between Ukraine and the European Union, which is currently being drafted, as a step on the way to full membership of the EU, President Viktor Yushchenko said.

"Ukraine views a new agreement as a step on the way to full membership of the EU," he said while opening a meeting of the National Security and Defense Council on Friday.

The lion's share of work on the agreement has already been done, Yushchenko said, noting that only technical issues remain.