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| Russia's Putin arrives in Ukraine | |
| (about 12 hours later) | |
| Russian President Vladimir Putin is making his first trip to Ukraine since the appointment of the pro-Russian Prime Minister, Viktor Yanukovych. | |
| Mr Putin is holding talks with Ukraine's President, Viktor Yushchenko, as well as Mr Yanukovych. | |
| The visit comes as Mr Yushchenko is being increasingly marginalised by the prime minister. | The visit comes as Mr Yushchenko is being increasingly marginalised by the prime minister. |
| Energy will be high on the agenda after Moscow cut off gas supplies to Ukraine in January in a dispute over prices. | Energy will be high on the agenda after Moscow cut off gas supplies to Ukraine in January in a dispute over prices. |
| Strong position | Strong position |
| This will be a difficult day for Ukraine's pro-western president. | This will be a difficult day for Ukraine's pro-western president. |
| The last time he held talks with President Putin in Kiev was almost two years ago and things were very different. | The last time he held talks with President Putin in Kiev was almost two years ago and things were very different. |
| Back then Mr Yushchenko had just been elected as a result of the mass protests of the Orange Revolution. | Back then Mr Yushchenko had just been elected as a result of the mass protests of the Orange Revolution. |
| He defeated Viktor Yanukovych, who had been publicly backed by the Kremlin. | He defeated Viktor Yanukovych, who had been publicly backed by the Kremlin. |
| Now Mr Yanukovych is the prime minister and Russia's president is in a much stronger position. | Now Mr Yanukovych is the prime minister and Russia's president is in a much stronger position. |
| The visit comes as there is an escalating power struggle between Ukraine's president and prime minister. | The visit comes as there is an escalating power struggle between Ukraine's president and prime minister. |
| Ukraine's parliament recently voted to sack Foreign Minister Borys Tarasyuk - a close ally of the president. Mr Yushchenko has said that this was unlawful. | Ukraine's parliament recently voted to sack Foreign Minister Borys Tarasyuk - a close ally of the president. Mr Yushchenko has said that this was unlawful. |
| In what is likely to be seen by some as a provocative move, the foreign minister is expected to be present during the talks with Mr Putin. | In what is likely to be seen by some as a provocative move, the foreign minister is expected to be present during the talks with Mr Putin. |