Ukrainian President Victor Yushchenkoon Monday signed a decree suspending a resolution passed by cabinet on the command of the Interior Ministry troops.

The cabinet passed a resolution on May 25, ruling that Interior Minister Vasyl Tsushko prevent the Interior Ministry troops from mobilizing troops without authorization, and should step up efforts to safeguard important government institutions such as parliament, the general prosecution office and national banks.

Ukrainian presidential press services said Yushchenko asked the Constitutional Court to rule on the legitimacy of the cabinet's resolution, which he said restricted his power to safeguard national security and acted against a series of relevant laws.

On May 25, the Ukrainian president claimed direct command of 32,000 Interior Ministry troops.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych described the presidential order as "unconstitutional" and called on the president to stop the act and return to the negotiating table.

Ukraine's political turmoil began in April, when President Yushchenko signed decrees which dissolved parliament and called for early elections.

The dissolution order prompted weeks of argument and competing demonstrations between backers of the president and those of the prime minister, who insisted the act was unconstitutional.

The political situation was further complicated when the president sacked three judges of the country's constitutional court between April 30 and May 10, as the court started legal proceedings on the legitimacy of the president's decrees.