"The polls, held under the generally recognized international standards, confirmed Ukrainians' desire to put an end to historically doomed attempts to stir up hostility between the peoples of our countries," Medvedev said in a congratulatory message to Ukrainian president-elect Viktor Yanukovych.
Medvedev expressed the hope that Russia-Ukraine relations would return to a partnership approach under the new president, according to the Kremlin press service.
"I expect that Russian-Ukrainian cooperation will again acquire a constructive and fruitful nature of true partnership," he said. "I am sure that, through joint efforts, we will be able to inject a new impetus to the development of mutually beneficial bilateral relations."
Medvedev also invited Yanukovych to visit Moscow to discuss a wide range of issues concerning bilateral cooperation.
Ties between the two former Soviet neighbors have been strained in recent years over pro-West incumbent President Viktor Yushchenko's bid for NATO membership, gas disputes, and Ukraine's support for Georgia in the 2008 Caucasus war.
Ukraine's Central Election Commission confirmed on Sunday that opposition leader Yanukovych defeated Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko in a bitterly fought runoff on Feb. 7.
Source:english.people.com.cn/
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