Russia urged to stop bullying its neighbours

A SENIOR Ukrainian official has urged Russia to shed its “imperialist” mindset and stop bullying its neighbours, after the Kremlin denounced Kiev’s “anti-Russian policies” and looked ahead to the election of pro-Moscow leaders.

Ukraine has been at odds with Russia since its 2004 “Orange Revolution” ushered Viktor Yushchenko into the presidency at the expense of Moscow’s favoured candidate, on a vow to join Nato, strengthen ties with the EU and US, and loosen the Kremlin’s traditional grip on the country.

Energy disputes between the neighbours have seen EU states starved of gas in mid-winter, and they have also clashed over Mr Yushchenko’s demand that Russia’s Black Sea naval fleet leave its base on the Ukrainian coast in 2017, and his alleged supply of arms to Georgia during last year’s war.

“The young leadership of Russia is becoming a hostage to old imperial complexes, which constantly need to cherish the idea of a foreign enemy and substitute equal dialogue with all neighbouring states with a language of threats and insults,” Mr Yushchenko’s chief-of-staff, Vera Ulyanchenko, said yesterday. “There is no doubt that the policy of provocation is not in the interest of the Russian nation, whose long and painful history should teach new and young Russian leaders to make the right conclusions – not imperial, but practical.”

Her statement was a response to Mr Medvedev’s outburst on Tuesday, when he delayed sending a new ambassador to Kiev because of Mr Yushchenko’s allegedly anti-Russian stance.

“We have the impression that Kiev consistently seeks to break traditional economic ties with Russia, first and foremost in the energy sector,” Mr Medvedev said.

“As a result, the stable use by our countries of what is effectively a single gas pipeline network serving the energy security of Russia, Ukraine and many European states has been put at risk.”

Mr Medvedev also made clear that he hoped to see Mr Yushchenko replaced by a more Russia-friendly leader after January’s presidential election.

“What we have seen throughout the years of your presidency cannot be viewed as anything other than a departure by the Ukrainian side from the principles of friendship and partnership with Russia,” he said.

“Russia hopes a new Ukrainian leadership will be ready to build ties between our countries, ties that will indeed answer the true hopes of our peoples in the interests of strengthening European security.”

Opinion polls show Mr Yushchenko trailing far behind prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko and opposition leader Viktor Yanukovich, his two main rivals in the ballot. Ms Tymoshenko is seen as a pragmatist in relations with Russia, while Mr Yanukovich is viewed as a strong ally of Moscow.

Mr Yushchenko has warned Ukraine could be Russia’s next target after it defeated Georgia in last year’s war, which led to Moscow recognising the independence of the separatist regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

Russian prime minister Vladimir Putin visited Abkhazia yesterday, and pledged some €350 million to strengthen its borders and equip Russian bases on its territory.