I said, Look, please, let me take care of her, OK, because I know her, and believe me, she's like a small atomic weapon, you know, you just want to handle her really gingerly.

For years, President Kuchma has been in the West's doghouse, but Europe and the United States stepped gingerly, wary of pushing him into Russia's waiting embrace. Moreover, Kuchma's decision to send Ukrainian troops to Iraq divided the Western alliance, as he came into America's good graces.