US President Barack Obama has hailed "successful" Ukrainian elections in which pro-Westerners scored a big win in parliament, and blasted Russia for preventing voters in the east from casting their ballots.
Politicians were on Monday hard at work building a ruling coalition, with initial results showing Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk's People's Front and the Petro Poroshenko Bloc neck and neck with about 22 per cent of votes each.
"On behalf of the American people, I congratulate the people of Ukraine on holding successful parliamentary elections on October 26," Obama said in a statement.
"Yesterday's parliamentary vote represents another important milestone in Ukraine's democratic development. We look forward to the convening of the new parliament and the quick formation of a strong, inclusive government."
Observers from the pan-European Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) said the election, held in challenging conditions, "largely upheld democratic commitments".
But in a fiery reminder of the hurdles Poroshenko faces, an election-period lull in the rebel-held east ended early Monday in a barrage of artillery fire.
Critical of alleged Russian obstructionism in the restive east, Obama called on Moscow to ensure its "proxies" in parts of Donetsk and Luhansk would allow voters to cast their ballots in December 7 local elections.
"It is clear that Russian authorities occupying Crimea and Russian-backed separatists in parts of eastern Ukraine prevented many Ukrainian citizens from exercising their democratic rights to participate in national elections and cast their votes," he said.
Obama vowed to support Ukraine's efforts to peacefully resolve the conflict in the east and the return of the Crimean Peninsula, which Russian troops annexed in March.
Moscow says it is simply coming to the aid of Russian speakers who feel threatened by Ukraine's lurch toward the West.
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