Vladimir Putin warmly congratulated Viktor Yanukovych on his birthday, and passed on his best wishes for the health, well-being, and continued successes of the friendly Ukrainian nation.
The conversation also touched on topical issues in Russian-Ukrainian cooperation, including the agenda of forthcoming summit meetings.
President Putin also sent President Yanukovych a message of congratulations which reads, in part:
“During your years as President you have done a great deal to address pressing issues of Ukraine’s socioeconomic development. As a consistent supporter of friendly relations between our countries, you contribute to strengthening mutually beneficial bilateral cooperation in various fields.
I sincerely cherish the mutual understanding and trust that characterises our personal relations, and will be glad to meet with you again. I am also confident that continuing our constructive dialogue and active collaboration will further enrich the Russian-Ukrainian strategic partnership for the benefit of our fraternal nations.”