KIEV, April 1, 2008 (AFP) - US President George W. Bush said on Tuesday he was 'absolutely solid' in his support for Ukraine and Georgia's bid to join the NATO military alliance and told Russia it had no right to veto the move.

But in a sign of likely discord ahead of this week's NATO summit in Bucharest, France came out against the two countries' entry bid, with Prime Minister Francois Fillon saying it could upset the European balance of power.

Speaking in Kiev, Bush said Washington wanted to see Ukraine and Georgia, both former Soviet republics, given a Membership Action Plan (MAP) -- a formal step to joining NATO.

'I strongly believe that Ukraine and Georgia should be given MAP and there's no trade-offs, period,' said Bush, with Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko at his side.

'Helping Ukraine move towards NATO membership is in the interests of every member of the alliance. Ukraine has demonstrated commitment to democracy and open markets.

'My position is absolutely solid. Ukraine and Georgia should be given MAP,' Bush told journalists.

His comments were likely to stoke tension with Russia, which has threatened to target nuclear missiles at Ukraine if the country were to host NATO bases or elements of a US missile defence shield.

And NATO members France and Germany have both now said they will oppose formal approval of Ukraine and Georgia's membership bids at the Bucharest summit, which starts Wednesday.

'We are opposed to the entry of Georgia and Ukraine because we think that it is not a good answer to the balance of power within Europe and between Europe and Russia,' the French prime minister told France Inter radio.

'France has a different view from the United States,' said Fillon. 'We want to have a dialogue with Russia on this.'

Nonetheless Yushchenko voiced confidence that Ukraine would be given the go-ahead in Bucharest, saying that joining a collective security system was the only guarantee of his country's sovereignty.

And he had sharp words for opponents of membership at home, suggesting in a Biblical reference that they be banished to the desert.

'We obviously need to resort to the methods of Moses in order to guide for 40 years in the desert those who have forgotten the national interest and still live in the past,' Yushchenko said.

Russian officials however warned that Ukraine's membership of NATO would undermine European security.

'Admission of Ukraine into NATO will lead to a deep crisis in Russian-Ukrainian relations,' Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin was quoted by Interfax and RIA-Novosti news agencies as saying. 'This affects pan-European security.'

Bush said he had recently spoken with Putin to explain why the United States supports Ukraine and Georgia joining NATO and to assure him that Moscow had nothing to fear.

Bush and Putin, both of whom leave office within a year, are to meet this weekend at Putin's Black Sea coastal residence.

Bush said he had been assured by every NATO nation that Russia 'won't have a veto' at the Bucharest summit.

Bush also admitted that there was still no agreement with Russia on US plans to set up missile defences in two other former Soviet bloc states -- the Czech Republic and Poland.

'Obviously we've got work to do to persuade (Putin) that the missile defence system is not aimed at Russia,' Bush said, adding he was 'hopeful' there could be agreement.

Russia says the system is a direct threat to its security, a notion that Bush again dismissed.

As Bush wrapped up his stop in Kiev, an anti-NATO demonstration by about 150 people continued on a central square that was the scene of pro-Western demonstrations in 2004 known as the Orange Revolution.

About 50 pro-NATO demonstrators also waved flags outside the German embassy.

The anti-NATO protests in recent days have underlined significant opposition to membership within Ukraine.

Banners waved by those opposed read 'NATO is worse than the Gestapo!' 'For Russia, the Russian language and a decent life!' and 'We won't give up an inch of our land!'