Matviyenko: Russia ready for contacts with Verkhovna Rada after elections

Russia is prepared to develop contacts with Ukrainian parliamentarians after the elections to the Verkhovna Rada, but without any unnecessary conditions on their part, Speaker of the Russian Federation Council Valentina Matviyenko said.

"We are ready for contacts, but without the policy of dictating, without any artificial, unnecessary conditions. Let’s start from scratch, analyze the current state of affairs and how we can remedy the situation and move ahead together," TASS cited her as saying.

"We are open to and ready for dialogue. We are waiting for such signals from new [Verkhovna] Rada members and are ready to work to restore and normalize Russian-Ukrainian relations," Matviyenko added.

According to her, Russia would like to establish normal, good-neighborly relations with Kiev and the fraternal Ukrainian people. "If the [Verkhovna] Rada is interested in reviving the dialogue with Russia, we will only welcome that," the speaker of the Russian Federation Council stressed.