A senior member of Russia`s lower house of parliament said Tuesday a State Duma delegation would travel to Ukraine to help the ex-Soviet state tackle the ongoing confrontation between the president- and prime minister-led factions, RIA Novosti reports.
Ukraine`s parliament voted Monday to ask for international mediation following President Viktor Yushchenko`s order to dissolve it and hold early elections after accusing the majority parliamentary coalition of usurping power.
"A delegation of 20 members of the State Duma and a group of Russian political analysts will visit the Supreme Rada early April 11," said the press service of Alexander Lebedev, who heads a group on ties with Ukraine, adding that they would meet with Ukrainian lawmakers and Cabinet ministers in Kiev.
Russia`s State Duma Speaker Boris Gryzlov said earlier Tuesday he had discussed possible assistance with his Ukrainian counterpart, Oleksandr Moroz, Monday, when they reached agreement on the Russian delegation`s trip to Ukraine.
Gryzlov also called Yushchenko`s decision to disband the Supreme Rada over the defection of 11 lawmakers to the ruling coalition as unconstitutional and an "infringement on democracy."
