Russian President Vladimir Putin yesterday denounced the “mayhem” in Ukraine and said the postelection chaos sweeping the nation must be resolved in the courts and not in the streets.
“All claims should go to the court,” Putin said after meeting European leaders who denounced the presidential election results as fraudulent.
“We have no moral right to push a big European state to any kind of massive disorder.”
Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski and Javier Solona, the Secretary-General of the Council of the European Union, will travel to Kiev today for talks on the election crisis.
Ukraine remained in turmoil yesterday after its highest court refused to accept the election returns and the supporters of the pro-U.S. opposition leader vowed to blockade government buildings. The ruling blocked the inauguration of Kremlin-backed Viktor Yanukovich, who officials claimed narrowly beat Viktor Yushchenko in a presidential race runoff on Sunday.
“This is only the beginning,” Yushchenko told 100,000 supporters who rallied in downtown Kiev.
“It is proof that it is society that always wins. It is small compensation for the suffering that we have endured.”
The escalating dispute pits Yushchenko, who wants closer ties with the west and the inclusion of Ukraine into NATO, against Yanukovich, who would welcome closer ties with Russia.
Yushchenko’s supporters have flooded Kiev since the runoff and are trying to organize a nationwide strike.
The opposition sent word to supporters yesterday that they should blockade several international highways in western Ukraine.
They may also try to block the national government building and parliament, an aide said.
New York’s Ukrainian community appears to be siding with Yushchenko.
“It was a completely fraudulent election,” said Marko Suprun, executive director of the Ukrainian American Civil Liberties Association.
He said many ballots were voided because voters were given disappearing ink to vote.
Both Ukrainian candidates vowed to pull their nation’s troops out of the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq.
“President Bush is going to disagree with Yushchenko about Iraq but he must support him because he is democratic,” Suprun said.
“The gauntlet has been thrown down and I think the United States has to pick it up.”