The United States has put Ukraine on its Priority Watch List of countries failing to properly protect intellectual property rights.

Washington says it is seriously concerned with counterfeiting and rampant piracy in Ukraine, including Internet piracy.

Ukraine joins 12 other countries that officials say will be under particularly intense bilateral engagement during 2012. The other nations cited are Algeria, Argentina, Canada, Chile, China, India, Indonesia, Israel, Pakistan, Russia, Thailand, and Venezuela.

U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk says this year's report is more significant than ever. Kirk says industries specializing in intellectual property support 60 million U.S. jobs and are responsible for as much as 60 percent of exports.

Kirk says America's trading partners that do not protect such property rights threaten jobs and exports.

While Kirk called on Ukraine to address U.S. concerns, he congratulated Malaysia and Spain for getting removed from the list for strengthening copyright protection and fighting Internet piracy.