Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is due to visit Kyiv today for talks with President Viktor Yanukovych and Prime Minister Mykola Azarov.
The visit comes just days after the two states struck a deal under which Ukraine will obtain cheap energy in exchange for allowing Russia to keep its navy in Ukraine for another 25 years.
The deal has been denounced by Ukraine's opposition, and several thousand Ukrainians rallied against the agreement in front of parliament in Kyiv on April 24.
Yanukovych signed the deal on April 22 with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to extend the Russian lease of the port of Sevastopol after the existing lease expires in 2017.
compiled from agency reports
The visit comes just days after the two states struck a deal under which Ukraine will obtain cheap energy in exchange for allowing Russia to keep its navy in Ukraine for another 25 years.
The deal has been denounced by Ukraine's opposition, and several thousand Ukrainians rallied against the agreement in front of parliament in Kyiv on April 24.
Yanukovych signed the deal on April 22 with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to extend the Russian lease of the port of Sevastopol after the existing lease expires in 2017.
compiled from agency reports