Ukraine vote shows tilt to the West

Voters in Ukraine have endorsed President Petro Poroshenko's bid to steer away from Russia onto a pro-Western course.

Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko, (L) with Vladimir Putin

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko (L) and Vladimir Putin. (AAP)

As votes are counted in Ukraine's parliamentary election, exit polls show pro-Western parties are set to dominate.

Petro Poroshenko Bloc led with 23 per cent of the vote, meaning the president will have to seek a coalition partner.

That was most likely to be the People's Front led by Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk, who came a close second, with 21 per cent.

The results will tilt the former Soviet republic further towards Europe and further away from Russia.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko called the snap poll a bid to set Ukraine on a new path after the ousting of pro-Russian leaders.

Mr Poreshenko said the results showed people backed his pro-Western course and his search for so-called "political methods" to end the war in the country's east.

"It is reassuring that the majority have voted for the political forces that support the president's peace plan and look for political solutions to the situation in Donbass, paying attention to strengthening of our armed force,” he said.

The election was boycotted by pro-Russian rebels in the east, who planned to hold their own polls, which won't be recognised by Kiev, next month.

Voters in Crimea and in separatist-controlled areas of the eastern Luhansk and Donetsk provinces were unable to cast ballots - ruling out about five million of Ukraine's 36.5 million-strong electorate.

Twenty-seven seats in the 450-seat parliament will remain empty.

Leader of the Poroshenko bloc, Yuriy Lutsenko, welcomed the results.

The election comes eight months after a street revolt toppled former pro-Russian president Viktor Yanukovych.

Kiev mayor Vitaly Klitschko said the poll showed the Ukrainians were united for change.

"We have shown with our own example that we can unite for European values. We need to unite as we have external challenges and we have internal challenges,” he said.

The challenges are significant. Although the majority of the parties are pro-Western, they are divided on key issues - such how to enact reform, battle corruption or fight the war in the east.

The poll comes at a time of deepening economic gloom for Ukraine - with GDP forecast to fall between 7 and 10 per cent this year.

Meanwhile, fighting continues in the region despite a shaky ceasefire between government troops and pro-Russian rebels.


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