Ukrainian president-elect Viktor Yanukovych, due to be sworn in next week, will visit Moscow early March, the Kremlin said on Saturday.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev made the invitation during a phone conversation with Yanukovych on Saturday, the Kremlin said in a statement.

Medvedev again congratulated Yanukovych "on his complete, definitive, legally formalized and internationally recognized victory" in the presidential election, the statement said.

Yanukovych promised during his election campaign to improve ties with Russia, which have deteriorated under pro-Western President Viktor Yushchenko over a range of disputes, including Kiev's bid for NATO membership and bitter gas crises.

The final obstacle to Yanukovych's inauguration was removed earlier in the day when Prime Minster Yulia Tymoshenko unexpectedly withdrew a legal challenge to the results of the Feb. 17 presidential runoff.