Ukraine's outgoing president says he favors holding an entirely new election to resolve the dispute over last week's presidential run-off.
President Leonid Kuchma made the comments in Kiev after returning from talks Thursday outside Moscow with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The two discussed the election crisis.
Some in Ukraine have called for a re-run of just the disputed November 21st balloting -- instead of re-doing the entire election process. Mr. Putin says a re-vote would serve no purpose.
In Washington, President Bush said any new vote in Ukraine must be free from foreign influence and reflect the will of the people.
Meanwhile, Ukraine's Supreme Court is hearing final arguments over opposition claims of widespread electoral fraud in the run-off and its request to have the results overturned.
Officials declared pro-Russian Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych the winner, prompting mass protests by supporters of his Western-leaning challenger, Victor Yushchenko.