New Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko met early Tuesday with US President George W. Bush for the first talks between the two men since the Ukrainian leader was elected, Ukrainian officials said.

The brief 15-minute meeting was taking place just ahead of a meeting between Ukraine and NATO, on the sidelines of a summit between the US and the NOrth Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in Brussels.

US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice and her Ukrainian counterpart Boris Tarasyuk were also present at the meeting, a Ukrainian source said.

On a high-profile fence-mending trip to Europe, Bush called on Monday for Ukraine to be welcomed into the "Euro-Atlantic family" after its recent election crisis

"As the free government takes oath in the country and as the government of president Yushchenko pursues vital reforms, Ukraine should be welcomed by the Euro-Atlantic family," he told European dignitaries gathered here.

The EU on Monday finalised an "action plan" for Ukraine, laying out a series of benefits the EU intends to offer the country, but has so far stopped short of talking about EU membership.