President Vladimir Putin of Russia said Friday that he will respect the outcome of the Ukraine presidential election, which is scheduled for this Sunday. 

According to The Wall Street Journal, Putin said he will respect "the will of the Ukrainian people" and will work with whomever the people select as their new leader. 

Kiev's government is concerned about violence on Sunday after violent clashes between pro-Russia rebels and Ukrainian troops in east Ukraine over the past few weeks have left dozens dead and many wounded. 

There has been a recent surge in violence in eastern regions that declared autonomy from the country.

"What we want for Ukraine is peace and calm," Putin said. "After their election, of course we will cooperate with the newly elected head of state."

Putin said that Ukraine is now in a "civil war" but added that he hoped military action in east Ukraine will cease after the elections and that both sides will engage in negotiations. 

Pro-Russia separatists have declared that they will do whatever necessary to prevent the vote from taking place Sunday. There will most likely be an uptick in violence in an attempt to intimidate people into staying home. 

Russia said they will respect the vote but also mentioned that the country's instability is casting doubt on Kiev's ability to hold legitimate elections. 

However, Ukraine puts the blame on Russia for supplying the rebels with men and weaponry, which Moscow denies. Putin said at an economic forum that the European Union and the United States are the ones responsible for the situation in Ukraine. 

Putin said Ukraine's civil war is adversely affecting Russia's relationship with the West, as the U.S. and the E.U. supported former President Viktor Yanukovych's ouster. 

"What next? Chaos and a full-scale civil war," Putin said.

Putin said that Russia annexed Crimea after a referendum vote in the region to avoid the violence that is gripping the eastern part of the nation. 

"If we didn't do that, we would have a tragedy there greater than in some towns in Ukraine," Putin added. He specifically referred to a recent clash in Odessa that killed 46 people. 

The West's relationship with Russia is strained, and the U.S. and E.U. have put economic sanctions on the country because of the annexation of Crimea. Many chief executives did not attend the St. Petersburg Economic Forum; many were dissuaded by the Western sanctions.  

Putin said the sanctions are not legal because they have not yet been approved by the United Nations. 

Russia has also claimed that they are pulling their 40,000 troops from Ukraine's border, but NATO said Thursday that hardly any troops have withdrawn.