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By Helen Fawkes
BBC News, Kiev
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It was almost two years ago that Mr Putin was last in Kiev
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Russian president Vladimir Putin is set to make his first trip to
Ukraine since the appointment of the pro-Russian Prime Minister, Viktor
Yanukovych.
On Friday Mr Putin is due to hold talks with Ukraine's President, Viktor Yushchenko, as well as Mr Yanukovych.
The visit comes as Mr Yushchenko is being increasingly marginalised by the prime minister.
Energy will be high on the agenda after Moscow cut off gas supplies to Ukraine in January in a dispute over prices.
Strong position
This will be a difficult day for Ukraine's pro-western president.
The last time he held talks with President Putin in Kiev was almost two years ago and things were very different.
Back then Mr Yushchenko had just been elected as a result of the mass protests of the Orange Revolution.
He defeated Viktor Yanukovych, who had been publicly backed by the Kremlin.
Now Mr Yanukovych is the prime minister and Russia's president is in a much stronger position.
The visit comes as there is an escalating power struggle between Ukraine's president and prime minister.
Ukraine's parliament recently voted to sack Foreign
Minister Borys Tarasyuk - a close ally of the president. Mr Yushchenko
has said that this was unlawful.
In what is likely to be seen by some as a provocative
move, the foreign minister is expected to be present during the talks
with Mr Putin.
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