MOSCOW, February 9. /TASS/. Moscow has always been ready to work with any authorities in Ukraine, including pro-Western ones, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in an interview with Tucker Carlson published on the US journalist’s website.

He pointed out Viktor Yushchenko once came to power in Ukraine in a maidan coup. "The US supported it and the winner of the third round came to power," Putin said. "Okay. Viktor Yushchenko, who was considered the pro-Western politician, came to power, but fine. We built relations with him as well. He came to Moscow with visits. We visited Kiev. I visited it too, we met in an informal setting. If he's pro-Western, so be it. It's fine. Let people do their job. The situation should have developed inside independent Ukraine itself," the Russian leader added.