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| Ukraine crisis: Russia 'open to dialogue' with new leader | Ukraine crisis: Russia 'open to dialogue' with new leader |
| (21 days later) | |
| Russia says it is "open to dialogue" with the new president of Ukraine, as initial results suggested Petro Poroshenko would win its election. | Russia says it is "open to dialogue" with the new president of Ukraine, as initial results suggested Petro Poroshenko would win its election. |
| However, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said military action must end against separatists in the east. | However, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said military action must end against separatists in the east. |
| Mr Poroshenko said he would meet Russian leaders soon but vowed to take a tough line on any armed separatists. | Mr Poroshenko said he would meet Russian leaders soon but vowed to take a tough line on any armed separatists. |
| Unrest continues in the east, with pro-Russia militiamen halting flights at Donetsk airport. | Unrest continues in the east, with pro-Russia militiamen halting flights at Donetsk airport. |
| Heavy gunfire is now reported there, with thick black smoke rising from the area. Military aircraft have been seen overhead. | Heavy gunfire is now reported there, with thick black smoke rising from the area. Military aircraft have been seen overhead. |
| Meanwhile election observers said Sunday's vote was a genuine one that largely met international standards. | Meanwhile election observers said Sunday's vote was a genuine one that largely met international standards. |
| The mission from the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) also said it gave the new president "legitimacy" to open a dialogue with separatists in the east. | The mission from the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) also said it gave the new president "legitimacy" to open a dialogue with separatists in the east. |
| 'No Somalia' | 'No Somalia' |
| Mr Lavrov told a press conference in Moscow: "We are ready for dialogue with Kiev's representatives, with Petro Poroshenko." | Mr Lavrov told a press conference in Moscow: "We are ready for dialogue with Kiev's representatives, with Petro Poroshenko." |
| Mr Lavrov said EU and US mediation were not needed, but warned Kiev that continuing military operations against the separatists would be a "colossal mistake". | Mr Lavrov said EU and US mediation were not needed, but warned Kiev that continuing military operations against the separatists would be a "colossal mistake". |
| He said: "As our president [Vladimir Putin] has said, we shall treat the results of the expression of will of the Ukrainian people with respect." | He said: "As our president [Vladimir Putin] has said, we shall treat the results of the expression of will of the Ukrainian people with respect." |
| But Mr Lavrov said Kiev must also treat its people with respect and that dialogue with the east was necessary to resolve the crisis. | But Mr Lavrov said Kiev must also treat its people with respect and that dialogue with the east was necessary to resolve the crisis. |
| Mr Poroshenko said he hoped to meet Russian leaders early next month, after a trip to Poland where he will meet the US president and EU leaders. | Mr Poroshenko said he hoped to meet Russian leaders early next month, after a trip to Poland where he will meet the US president and EU leaders. |
| However, he warned he would take a tough line on armed militiamen. | However, he warned he would take a tough line on armed militiamen. |
| He said: "Their goal is to turn Donbass [east Ukraine] into Somalia. I will not let anyone do this to our state and I hope that Russia will support my approach." | He said: "Their goal is to turn Donbass [east Ukraine] into Somalia. I will not let anyone do this to our state and I hope that Russia will support my approach." |
| Mr Poroshenko also indicated he would keep current Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk, saying: "There are no plans to change the government leadership." | Mr Poroshenko also indicated he would keep current Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk, saying: "There are no plans to change the government leadership." |
| Mr Poroshenko, 48, currently has 53.75% of the vote, with 70% of the ballots counted, and would not need a run-off. Former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko is a distant second on 13.1%. | Mr Poroshenko, 48, currently has 53.75% of the vote, with 70% of the ballots counted, and would not need a run-off. Former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko is a distant second on 13.1%. |
| Full results are expected on Monday. | Full results are expected on Monday. |
| The election came three months after pro-Moscow President Viktor Yanukovych fled Kiev amid bloody street protests and calls for closer ties with the EU. | The election came three months after pro-Moscow President Viktor Yanukovych fled Kiev amid bloody street protests and calls for closer ties with the EU. |
| Since then, Russia has annexed the Crimean peninsula in southern Ukraine and armed separatists in the eastern provinces of Luhansk and Donetsk have declared independence. | Since then, Russia has annexed the Crimean peninsula in southern Ukraine and armed separatists in the eastern provinces of Luhansk and Donetsk have declared independence. |
| Mr Yanukovych has also said he will accept the election result, "no matter which regions and what percentage of the population voted", Russian media reported. | Mr Yanukovych has also said he will accept the election result, "no matter which regions and what percentage of the population voted", Russian media reported. |
| Ukraine's interim government is engaged in an offensive in the east to quash the uprising that has left scores dead. | Ukraine's interim government is engaged in an offensive in the east to quash the uprising that has left scores dead. |
| Pro-Russian separatists severely disrupted voting there. No polling stations were open in Donetsk city, and across the region only seven out of 12 district electoral commissions were operating. | Pro-Russian separatists severely disrupted voting there. No polling stations were open in Donetsk city, and across the region only seven out of 12 district electoral commissions were operating. |
| Media reaction | Media reaction |
| "Has Ukraine been reborn?" asks the Ukrainian edition of Komsomolskaya Pravda. It says the election "will have a special place in the history books". But the paper notes that Crimeans did not vote and the voting in Donbass and Luhansk - formerly Ukraine's "electoral core", proceeded with "great difficulty". | "Has Ukraine been reborn?" asks the Ukrainian edition of Komsomolskaya Pravda. It says the election "will have a special place in the history books". But the paper notes that Crimeans did not vote and the voting in Donbass and Luhansk - formerly Ukraine's "electoral core", proceeded with "great difficulty". |
| "We have survived," proclaims popular Ukrainian daily Segodnya. | "We have survived," proclaims popular Ukrainian daily Segodnya. |
| Claims in the Russian media that Ukraine is overrun by extremists and neo-Nazis are ridiculed by some social media commentators. The two right-wing candidates - Dmytro Yarosh and Oleh Tyahnybok - polled less than 2% in total. | Claims in the Russian media that Ukraine is overrun by extremists and neo-Nazis are ridiculed by some social media commentators. The two right-wing candidates - Dmytro Yarosh and Oleh Tyahnybok - polled less than 2% in total. |
| Prominent Ukrainian journalist Mustafa Nayyem proclaims an "epic fail" of Russian propaganda. "Vladimir Putin won't sleep tonight," he predicts. | Prominent Ukrainian journalist Mustafa Nayyem proclaims an "epic fail" of Russian propaganda. "Vladimir Putin won't sleep tonight," he predicts. |
| :A turning point, or business as usual? | :A turning point, or business as usual? |
| However, the central elections commission said about 60% of Ukraine's 35.5 million eligible voters had turned out. | However, the central elections commission said about 60% of Ukraine's 35.5 million eligible voters had turned out. |
| Unrest continued on Monday. | Unrest continued on Monday. |
| Flights were suspended at Sergei Prokofiev airport in Donetsk after several dozen separatists from the self-declared Donetsk People's Republic demanded Ukrainian troops guarding the inner perimeter be removed. | Flights were suspended at Sergei Prokofiev airport in Donetsk after several dozen separatists from the self-declared Donetsk People's Republic demanded Ukrainian troops guarding the inner perimeter be removed. |
| Officials said there had been "shots and confrontation". | Officials said there had been "shots and confrontation". |
| The head of Donetsk airport's press service, Dmitry Kosinov, said: "On the territory of the airport there are armed people, this is ample reason to halt our work on security grounds." | The head of Donetsk airport's press service, Dmitry Kosinov, said: "On the territory of the airport there are armed people, this is ample reason to halt our work on security grounds." |
| Ukrainian TV is also reporting clashes in the villages of Semenivka and Andriyivka near the separatist stronghold of Sloviansk. | Ukrainian TV is also reporting clashes in the villages of Semenivka and Andriyivka near the separatist stronghold of Sloviansk. |