Former central banker Sergei Tigipko, who came third in the first round of Ukraine's presidential election, reiterated on Saturday he was ready to be prime minister if either of the two candidates wins a runoff.

Frontrunner Viktor Yanukovych, who collected 35.32% of the votes in the first round on January 17, and Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, who came second with 25.05%, are facing a runoff on Sunday.

"I am openly eying the post of prime minister because I returned to politics to influence the situation in the country," Russia's Gazeta.ru quoted Tigipko as saying.

Tigipko, 49, said he believed the premier was the second key policy-maker after the president.

According to Gazeta.ru, Tigipko also admitted that Tymoshenko had offered him the prime minister's post in exchange for his support and that he had never turned down "such proposals."

"I have held talks with both Tymoshenko and Yanukovych, and I said: 'I am ready to be prime minister in Tymoshenko's Cabinet, and I'm ready to be prime minister in Yanukovych's Cabinet'," Tigipko said.

He earlier hinted he did not rule out his premiership whether with Tymoshenko or Yanukovich and that he would focus on the "modernization" of the ex-Soviet nation if appointed premier.

MOSCOW, February 6 (RIA Novosti)