Russia's new ambassador to Ukraine will depart for Kiev next week, the Foreign Ministry said Thursday.

"[Mikhail Zurabov] is due to leave next week," a ministry spokesman said.

Ahead of his departure, Zurabov met with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

No details were available about the meeting.

A presidential decree appointing Zurabov, a former Russian health and social development minister, as ambassador to Ukraine was signed on August 5, 2009. But on August 11, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev sent an open letter to Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko, saying the dispatch of the new ambassador would be put on hold as Ukraine's policy on Yushchenko's watch had deviated from the principles of friendship and partnership with Russia.

However, following the first round of presidential elections in Ukraine on Sunday, Medvedev ordered Zurabov to formally assume his position in Kiev.

Medvedev gave Zurabov extra powers by appointing him a presidential envoy on trade and economic ties with the ex-Soviet republic.

"I believe you... should try to make the maximum possible contribution to strengthening the friendly nature of relations between our countries," he told Zurabov on Tuesday.

Opposition leader Viktor Yanukovych and Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko received 35.34% and 25.04% and will go into a runoff on February 7. Incumbent Viktor Yushchenko gained slightly over 5% of the vote and did not make it into the second round.

MOSCOW, January 21 (RIA Novosti)