KIEV, Ukraine - Russian President Vladimir Putin (news - web sites), who openly backed Viktor Yushchenko's rival for president of the Ukraine, said Tuesday he could work with an administration headed by the pro-Western candidate.
"We have worked with him already and the cooperation was not bad," Putin said during a visit to Germany. "If he wins, I don't see any problems."
Yushchenko was prime minister from 1999 to 2001, and before that he headed the Central Bank for six years.
...
German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, who spoke with Putin at a news conference in the northern German town of Schleswig, said he and Putin agreed that "nobody has the right to meddle and that the result of the Dec. 26 vote will have to be respected."
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&e=5&u=/ap/20041221/ap_on_re_eu/ukraine_election