Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has admitted that the court ruling to deprive Ukrainian lawmakers of their parliamentary seats will have a negative impact on Ukraine's relations with the European Union, but said that this decision was lawful.

At a joint press conference with his Latvian counterpart Andris Berzins in Kyiv on Thursday, Yanukovych said that in no European country lawmakers could combine parliamentary activities and other jobs, in particular a law practice.

"As for the MP [Serhiy Vlasenko], he combined it with his work as a lawyer - that is, he had a license and he was engaged in advocacy. This cannot be done in any country in Europe, and in any country in the world, so the court made its ruling according to law. How does this affect the relationship with the EU? Certainly adversely," Yanukovych said.