Moscow, May 26 (IANS): Russia Monday said it would respect the decision of Ukraine's people in the presidential election, but warned Kiev against resuming a military operation in the country's southeastern regions.
"The fact that the vote was organised in many regions in Ukraine could probably be regarded as a generally positive fact. As the president (Vladimir Putin) has said, we will respect the will expressed by the Ukrainian people," Xinhua quoted Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov as saying.
Lavrov said Moscow was ready for dialogue with Petro Poroshenko, the winning candidate, but said Russia "definitely does not need" mediators in talks with Kiev.
Exit polls show "Chocolate King" Poroshenko won Sunday's presidential election with an absolute majority.
"The only thing, I would very much like his declared readiness for a dialogue not to be conditional on internal reservations, as he mentioned, in particular, that he will be ready for a dialogue with us with the mediation of the European Union and the US," Lavrov said.
The minister also warned Kiev against resuming its "so-called anti-terrorist operation" in southeastern Ukraine, saying that would be a "big mistake".
"We are hoping that Petro Poroshenko will do everything to prevent some extremist radical tendencies in Kiev toward the eastern and southern regions of Ukraine, or on any other region of this country, from prevailing," Lavrov said.
Russia also urged the new Ukrainian authorities to "confirm or declare their adherence to the settlement roadmap suggested by the chair of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)".