KYIV - Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych urged lawmakers Monday to pass long-delayed legislation needed for Ukraine's entry into the World Trade Organization, in an unexpectedly public sign of support for a top policy goal of President Viktor Yushchenko.

"We need to solve all issues on preparing Ukraine's joining WTO during the last months of this year," Yanukovych said, according to his spokesman Denis Ivanesku, during a joint session of parliamentary faction leaders and his Cabinet.

Yushchenko had vowed to take the former Soviet republic into the WTO by the end of last year, but ran into strong opposition by Socialists and Communists.

Parliament has passed only handful out of more than 20 bills required to enter into the world trade body. Ukraine has now missed two self-imposed deadlines, and observers say the nation is unlikely to pass all the bills needed for entry by year's end.

The decision by pro-Russian Yanukovych to back the WTO bid comes weeks after he roiled ties with Yushchenko by declaring Ukraine's bid to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to be premature.

Yanukovych said earlier that he supported quick WTO membership, but said the nation must ensure it protects its national interests.

Some analysts have suggested Ukraine's new government is slowing its push for membership as a concession to Russia, which has seen its own hopes of joining WTO mired in disputes with Washington.Ukraine is also in difficult talks with Russia to try to win discounted prices for natural gas imports.