Mihkelson Predicts Difficult Times for Poroshenko
Ukraine needs to consolidate its election result fast and Petro Poroshenko, expected to be named the new president in the next few days, has his work cut out for him, says Marko Mihkelson, the head of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Estonian Parliament.
Speaking on ETV's “Ringvaade” program on Monday, Mihkelson said Poroshenko, who had made a fortune in the chocolate business, emerged as a serious candidate during the Maidan events and played a smart political move in making Vitali Klitschko his ally. Klitschko is thought to become the next mayor of Kyiv.
Poroshenko has promised to reunite Crimea with Ukraine, but according to Mihkelson, that will be a long and slow process. A quicker reaction is necessary with other areas that are under control of separatists, such as Donetsk and Luhansk.
Russia's aim is still to keep Ukraine from moving towards Europe, with 40,000 Russian troops still near the border, he said. Although the Ukrainian state was founded in 1991, many problems, such as widespread corruption, have remained unsolved and piled up since.
Mihkelson said Poroshenko was the best candidate for Ukraine from those currently available, promising to move the nation west, but negotiate with the east. Although he is yet to be confirmed as the winner of the presidential election, Poroshenko is leading with 53.7 percent of the vote against 13 percent collected by his main rival, Yulia Tymoshenko, and will most likely avoid a runoff.
Poroshenko has said one of his first priorities is to hold a parliamentary election.