Wroclaw, Poland  - The Czech presidency of the European Union Wednesday backed Ukraine's ambitions to join the 27-member bloc, despite Kiev's gas row with Moscow that led to a two-week shutdown of EU-bound Russian natural gas deliveries via Ukraine.

Speaking after meeting the Polish and Ukrainian presidents in the Polish city of Wroclaw, Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek said he would persuade EU leaders that Ukraine's integration into the EU and NATO was "in the fundamental interest" of the bloc.