Time of half-measures in Russia-Ukraine relations is over - experts

The Russian administration should be generally satisfied with the outcome of the Ukrainian parliamentary election, but there must be no more half-measures in bilateral relations, Russian and Ukrainian experts believe.

"The thing is, it is much more advantageous for Russia to deal with Ukrainian consolidated authorities - the united team of the president, the premier and the Verkhovna Rada majority… It will be easier for Russia to deal with the consolidated authorities: to reach agreements and so on. So, I think the Kremlin should be satisfied," Institute for CIS Countries Deputy Director Vladimir Zharikhin told a Monday press conference in Kyiv.

Head of the Center for Ukrainian Studies of the Institute of Europe RAS Viktor Mironenko thinks that the Ukrainian election outcome derived from Russia-Ukraine relations, to a large extent.

"We may congratulate the authors of Russia-Ukraine relations: they have achieved the desired result. We have witnessed numerous examples of political and economic pressure. Those measures led to the desired result," he said.

The Russian authorities should now decide what they want Ukraine to be: "either a prosperous, democratic and friendly neighbor or a poor, hysterical and hungry brother," he said.

Ukrainian sociologist, Research & Branding Group Director Yevhen Kopatko agreed that the Verkhovna Rada election results displayed the need for changing Ukraine-Russia relations. "In my opinion, there must be no more half-measures in Russia-Ukraine relations," he said.

The growing popularity of Svoboda and the Communist Party in Ukraine mirror political polarization both in the society and the new Verkhovna Rada, he said. "This polarization will also be manifested in Russia-Ukraine relations," Kopatko said.