Ukraine"s new president, Viktor Yanukovych...

The task is likely to prove tough for Yanukovych, whose narrow victory in last month"s presidential election only served to emphasize the split between Western-leaning nationalist western parts of the country and mainly Russian-speaking eastern regions, where the population favors maintaining strong historical ties with Moscow.

Moscow will be the second foreign visit by Yanukovych since his inauguration on February 25 after a visit to Brussels, where he worked hard to find the delicate balance between good ties with the European Union and Russia.

Pressed by economic hardships in Ukraine, which has been badly hit by the global economic crisis, Yanukovych made clear he wanted to focus on boosting economic ties with Russia and winning a new gas deal critical for the country, which is the main transit hub on the way from Siberia to Europe.

Russian officials and gas executives have reacted skeptically Yanukovych"s gas overtures and rejected the idea of re-negotiating

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