MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin’s press secretary Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday that Russia will not interfere in the internal affairs of Ukraine, an Eastern European country which has been witnessing violent protests since November last year against the government decision for having more closer ties with Moscow instead of the European Union (EU).
In an interview, the Russian president’s press secretary said that Russia was monitoring the events in Kiev with huge attention and expressed confidence that Ukrainian President Victor Yanukovych would find the best solution for bringing the situation back to normal.
Peskov criticized the foreign interference in Ukraine by the West, saying, “It is hard to comprehend why foreign ambassadors in Kiev should tell the Ukrainian authorities where these should withdraw their Interior Ministry troops and police from, what they should do next etc.”
“We see these kinds of outside instructions as something altogether incomprehensible.”
The Ukrainian opposition on Wednesday gave a 24-hour ultimatum to President Viktor Yanukovych to announce early elections or face more popular rage in the country.
Ukraine has been rocked by anti-government protests after Yanukovych refrained from signing an Association Agreement with the EU at the third Eastern Partnership Summit in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius on November 29 last year in favor of closer ties with Russia.
Kiev refused to sign the agreement after the EU leaders called on Ukraine to allow jailed opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko to travel overseas for medical treatment.
Later, Ukraine and Russia reached a strategic economic and trade deal in December, which provides Ukraine with significant discounts on imported Russian gas and billions of dollars in credit.
