Vice President Biden spoke with President Viktor Yanukovych of Ukraine today in advance of Ukraine’s local elections on October 31st.  The Vice President thanked President Yanukovych for the difficult economic reforms he has pushed through so far and for his support for our common nonproliferation agenda.  The Vice President underscored the importance of free and fair elections on October 31st and media freedom as signs of Ukraine’s commitment to democracy and European integration, and emphasized the Obama Administration’s support for these goals.  In addition, the Vice President reinforced to President Yanukovych that the process of constitutional reform emerging from the October 1st  Constitutional Court decision should include checks and balances and generate a constitution for all the people of Ukraine.