Powell in Ukraine for inauguration
Plans to meet with Kuchma, Yuschenko
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 Viktor Yushchenko declares victory in Ukraine's election.
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(CNN) -- Secretary of State Colin Powell says he is looking forward to attending the inauguration of new Ukrainian President Viktor Yuschenko on Sunday, calling it "an historic moment for the Ukrainian people."
Ukraine "has come through some difficult times, especially through the last three months, and I think the international community is pleased that it has been resolved in a peaceful manner and resolved in a way that the will of the Ukrainian people has been determined, and was the defining force for the resolution of this political crisis," Powell said Saturday en route to Kiev.
Yushchenko was elected in a December 26 vote after the country's first runoff, on November 21, was annulled by the nation's Supreme Court because of massive vote fraud.
Powell arrived in Kiev about 11 p.m. local time (4 p.m. ET).
He said on board the plane that President Bush had spoken to Yushchenko earlier Saturday and the two had a "good conversation."
Powell said Bush pledged continuing U.S. support to Ukraine and hopes to meet with Yushchenko in the near future. That meeting would probably take place in Washington, a State Department official said.
While in Kiev, Powell said he plans to meet with Yushchenko and discuss economic reform, considerations with respect to the World Trade Organization and greater involvement in the trans-Atlantic relationship.
On the WTO, "we will make clear to them the kinds of things we are expecting and hoping to see happen with respect to intellectual property rights and other structural issues that they have to deal with. They know what these issues are, and now they have a new president who will have to take on these issues and resolve them."
But Powell said he also plans to meet with outgoing president Leonid Kuchma, "see how he sees things and what role he intends to play in private life or in civil or political life."
Earlier this month, Kuchma ordered his defense and foreign ministers to draw up plans to call home nearly 1,600 Ukrainian troops in Iraq during the first half of this year.
Asked about whether he plans to discuss the issue, Powell said, "I am sure it will be mentioned for discussion. It was mentioned in the (Bush-Yushchenko) phone call."
Ukraine has said that whatever action it takes with regard to the troops, it will consult with the United States, he added.
Asked if the U.S. plans to give Ukraine more aid, Powell said, "we will see what their needs are and discuss that with our Congress. We would like to give as much assistance as we can. But they also need investment assistance, and investment comes from structural reform and making an investment climate that is favorable and friendly toward investment."
Russian President Vladimir Putin -- who had backed Yushchenko's challenger, Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych, in the election -- put out a statement this week on the final Ukrainian election results, Powell said, and Yushchenko plans to visit Moscow on Monday.
"I think we all realize that it is in Ukraine's best interests and all of our best interests for Ukraine to have good relations with both Russia and with the international community and the United States and all of its neighbors," he said.
