The United States sometimes experiences disappointment over the number of problems in Ukrainian politics, but it still hopes that the country will sign the Association Agreement with the European Union in November, U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine John Tefft has said.

"Sometimes we experience disappointment because of the lack of changes in Ukraine, or because of some specific problems. But I believe that the U.S. understands the central strategic importance of Ukraine today, as it did 20 years ago," the diplomat said in an interview with the Day newspaper published on Friday.

Tefft expressed said he hoped that Ukraine would meet all the necessary conditions for the signing of the Association Agreement with the EU in November, including that of the release of former Prime Minister of Ukraine Yulia Tymoshenko.

"Then in November, we will all be able congratulate each other and be proud of what has been done, even more than the fact of the signing of the agreement, the fact that Ukraine is moving in a direction to which we all aspire: towards a democratic state with market economy, which is governed by the rule of law. This has been the main objective of the United States and Europe for 22 years, and I think that this has been the main objective of Ukrainians," the ambassador said.

Tefft also praised the European choice of Ukraine.

"The president has chosen what I consider to be the right policy - Ukraine should be part of Europe, and at the same time we should try to maintain good relations with Russia. And the United States do not have any objection to that. We see the future of Ukraine in Europe, but we understand that Russia is an important neighbor... and you need to work with it. But when it comes to choosing a particular union, and when it comes to customs and other economic issues, in my view, the European Union holds greater promise," he said.