Putin called Yushchenko's rise to power in Ukraine in 2004 a coup. He recalled that after Leonid Kuchma, Viktor Yanukovych won the elections in Ukraine.
However, Yanukovych's opponents did not recognize his victory. Putin said that the United States supported the Ukrainian opposition at that time, and a third round of elections was scheduled, which is not provided for in the Constitution. "What is it? This is a coup,” Putin said. According to him, this coup was supported by the U.S.