Russian Ambassador to Ukraine: Ukraine won’t change its policy on Russia

Russian Naval Vessel in Ukrainian Port

(Interfax – October 29, 2012) There will be no drastic change in the Ukraine-Russia strategic cooperation policy after Ukraine’s parliamentary elections , Russian Ambassador to Ukraine Mikhail Zurabov said in an interview with the Voice of Russia.

“Prime Minister Mykola Yanovych Azarov has said the Party of Regions intends to carry on the policy of President Yanukovych, and his policy implies strategic and constructive cooperation between Ukraine and Russia. There will be no drastic change of this policy,” he said.

“I must say that any change of policy is linked with a certain economic price one will have to pay for doing that. The current situation in Ukraine and bilateral relations indicate the interest of Ukrainian businessmen and government in building up bilateral trade and cooperation, which is possible only if political contacts and their prospects look understandable and sensible to Russia,” he said.

Yet previously Zurabov said that the appearance of new political forces in Ukraine’s parliament may somehow influence the agenda of relations between Ukraine and Russia.

“We realize that the appearance of new political forces in the parliament will somehow edit the bilateral agenda. We also assume that questions to previously approved agreements may emerge,” he told journalists in Kyiv on Sunday.

Zurabov also expressed hope that Ukraine-Russia relations will become more intensive after the parliamentary elections and as soon as a new coalition and parliamentary committees are formed, and the composition of the Cabinet changes.

In addition, the Russian diplomat pointed out to the radicalization of Ukrainian society.

“The strengthening of the Communist Party in Verkhovna Rada – and the increase is very serous from 6 to 13 percent – is an indication of demand for a more socially-oriented policy pursued by the government. On the other hand, I believe that the election of such a nationalist party as Svoboda is largely related to certain problems among young people,” he said.

“The closure of social lifts that always existed for many regions and many young people indisputably leads to the radicalization of sentiments and election of political forces that express fairly simple, understandable and seemingly attainable aims,” he said.

Ukraine elected a new Verkhovna Rada on Sunday; 225 deputies were elected on party tickets and 225 in single-seat electoral districts.

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