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Putin says to treat with respect Ukrainians’ choice in presidential election

The president also said that in his opinion it would have been more logical for Ukraine to hold a referendum and amend the constitution before holding the elections

© ITAR-TASS/Mikhail Klementiev

ST. PETERSBURG, May 24, /ITAR-TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Saturday he would “treat with respect” the choice of the Ukrainian people in the country’s May 25 early presidential elections.

The president also said that in his opinion it would have been more logical for Ukraine to hold a referendum and amend the constitution before holding the elections.

“It would have been more logical and more fundamental in my opinion to hold a referendum at first, to adopt the constitution and then to hold the elections basing on the new legislature,” Putin said.

The Russian president said that Ukraine’s winner in presidential election may turn out to be an “intermediary person.”

“A new constitution may be adopted [after the election]. If this is how it turns out to be, then the new president could become intermediary. Or on the contrary, he would be accumulating maximum of authoritative powers. Both scenarios will be tied to the escalation of the domestic political fight," Putin said.

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Ukraine crisis Foreign policy SPIEF

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