Russia, Ukraine End Dispute Over Warships

In a major concession, Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma agreed Friday to allow Russia to base its Black Sea Fleet in the Ukrainian naval port of Sevastopol.

Sevastopol, the fleet’s longtime home, will remain Ukrainian territory despite the presence of hundreds of Russia’s warships.

“Today we finally put an end to our disagreement on the Black Sea Fleet,” a beaming Russian President Boris Yeltsin said at the signing ceremony after hugging Kuchma.

Russia and Ukraine have been squabbling over the once-powerful fleet since the breakup of the Soviet Union nearly four years ago.