Ukraine's president says statement on Chernomyrdin was made in line with international law

17:27

Ukrainian President Viktor Yuschenko has said that Ukrainian Foreign Minister Volodymyr Ohryzko acted in line with international law after making his statement in relation to Russian Ambassador Viktor Chernomyrdin.

"The foreign minister acted within the framework of international law, honestly defending the honor and status of our country," he told journalists during his visit to Kyiv region on Thursday.

Yuschenko said that it is unacceptable for an ambassador, who stays in a host country, to make statements that are improperly understood by the nation and the authorities.

He said that Chernomyrdin did not set the goal of causing damage to Ukrainian-Russian relations.

"He behaves in his style. He wanted [everything] to be better, but it happened as always," Yuschenko said.

The head of state noted that Ukraine and Russia are two big European states and stressed the need to "avoid, especially for diplomats, any emotions that can be allowed to ordinary people."

Yuschenko said that Ukraine treats Russia as a "large, friendly country."

"We are building these relations in a spirit of partnership. This is our strategic neighbor," he said.

As reported, Viktor Chernomyrdin described Ukraine's leadership as "brainless" in an interview with Russian TV channel Vesti on January 19, commenting on the gas conflict between Kyiv and Moscow.

The next day, The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry issued a statement reading that the Russian government is constantly trying to "blatantly pressurize" Ukraine and its independent domestic and foreign policy, Chernomyrdin's comment being mentioned as the latest example.

The ministry also claims Chernomyrdin made a series of inappropriate remarks regarding Ukraine's President Viktor Yuschenko in his interview with the Komsomolskaya Pravda newspaper on February 9.

The ministry reported earlier on February 17 that Chernomyrdin had been summoned to the Foreign Ministry, where he was told of Ukraine's protests regarding what Ukraine sees as Chernomyrdin's "unfriendly and openly undiplomatic" judgments, comments, and remarks in relation to Ukraine and its leadership. He was also told that Ukraine might apply Article 9 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations [on declaring the head or any member of a diplomatic mission persona non grata].