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Ukraine's Petro Poroshenko hopes to start coalition talks Ukraine pro-Western parties set for election victory
(about 2 hours later)
Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko plans to start talks on forming a coalition government after exit polls showed his bloc emerge strongest in Sunday's parliamentary elections. Ukraine's president plans to begin coalition talks after what appears to be a victory for pro-Western parties in Sunday's parliamentary elections.
He said talks might last up to 10 days. Early results showed Petro Poroshenko's bloc and that of Prime Minister Arseniy Yatseniuk each taking 22% of the vote.
PM Arseniy Yatseniuk's People's Front party could be a key partner, he added. The president thanked voters for backing a "democratic, reformist, pro-Ukrainian and pro-European majority".
Pro-Western parties look set to dominate parliament after the first legislative polls since the pro-Russian former President, Viktor Yanukovych, was driven from power in February. There was no voting in eastern areas that remain under the control of pro-Russian separatist rebels.
No votes were cast in two areas under control of pro-Russian separatists in the east of Ukraine, with 27 parliamentary seats there and in Crimea - annexed by Russia in March - remaining vacant. A number of seats in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions will remain vacant, as will those for Crimea, which was annexed by Russia in March.
Preliminary official results are expected later on Monday. The rebels plan to hold their own elections next Sunday.
Strong mandate The legislative polls were the first since pro-Russian former President, Viktor Yanukovych, was driven from power in February after he refused to sign an agreement on closer ties with the European Union.
However, exit polls indicated that President Poroshenko's bloc - comprising his own Solidarity Party and Udar, led by former boxer champion Vitali Klitschko - was in the lead with about 23% of the vote. 'Path to Europe'
With 30% of ballots counted, Mr Poroshenko's bloc - comprising his own Solidarity Party and Udar, led by former boxer champion Vitali Klitschko - had 21.59% of the vote.
But the People's Front of the president's ally, Mr Yatseniuk, was fractionally ahead with 21.7%, according to the election commission.
Self Help, based in western Ukraine, was third with 10.79%, followed by the Opposition Bloc, formed by allies of Mr Yanukovych and led by former Fuel Minister Yuriy Boiki, on 9.62%.
The Radical Party of Oleh Lyashko and former Prime Minister Yuliya Tymoshenko's Fatherland were both polling above the 5% threshold for entry into parliament, while all other parties were so far below the minimum, including for the first time the pro-Russian Communist Party.
The partial vote count published on Monday covers only 225 of the 450 seats. Results for constituency seats will not come in for a few days.
"More than three-quarters of voters who took part in the polls gave strong and irreversible backing to Ukraine's path to Europe," Mr Poroshenko said in televised comments."More than three-quarters of voters who took part in the polls gave strong and irreversible backing to Ukraine's path to Europe," Mr Poroshenko said in televised comments.
He said that in order not to lose time, coalition consultations should start on Monday.He said that in order not to lose time, coalition consultations should start on Monday.
"We have these 10 days when we must create... the best government in Ukraine because no other government will cope with the challenges that the country is facing today," he added."We have these 10 days when we must create... the best government in Ukraine because no other government will cope with the challenges that the country is facing today," he added.
At least 3,700 people have been killed since an insurgency in the east of Ukraine began earlier this year. Correspondents say that the top three performing blocs, including those of Mr Poroshenko and Mr Yatseniuk, are strongly pro-European and are likely to give the president a strong mandate to pursue democratic reforms and pursue efforts to end the conflict in the east.
Despite a truce agreed on 5 September some 300 people have been killed in sporadic clashes between the Ukrainian army and pro-Russian separatists around Donetsk's airport.
Correspondents say that the top three performing blocs, including those of Mr Poroshenko's and Mr Yatseniuk, are strongly pro-European and are likely to give the president a strong mandate to pursue democratic reforms and pursue efforts to end the conflict in the east.
The exit polls suggested Mr Yatseniuk's People's Front would come second, with around 21% of the vote, and the Self Help Party, based in western Ukraine, third with more than 13%.
Parties linked to the government of former President Yanukovych or with close ties to Russia were set to receive fewer votes, the polls indicated.
The Opposition Bloc, formed by allies of ousted Pro-Russia President Viktor Yanukovych, was fourth with 8%, while the pro-Russian Communist Party might be without representation in parliament for the first time.
However, the exit polls only take into account voting for 225 of the 450 seats.
Varied turnoutVaried turnout
Some three million people in separatist-controlled areas in Donetsk and Luhansk were unable to vote. Leaders there say they will hold their own polls in the next month. Turnout was more than 52%, according to the election commission.
Turnout reached more than 52.4%, according to official figures, however the turnout varied widely between the east and west of the country. However, it varied widely between the east and west of the country, with some three million people in separatist-controlled areas in Donetsk and Luhansk unable to vote.
The highest percentage turnout was in the western Lviv region (about 70%), with the lowest in areas of Donetsk region under government control (about 30%). International observers meanwhile expressed "serious concerns" over the effect the violence in the east of the country had on the election, with some candidates being attacked.
International observers, meanwhile, expressed "serious concerns" over the effect the violence in the east of the country had on the election, with violence against candidates. Anger in eastern Ukraine at the overthrow of Mr Yanukovych turned to unrest with separatists seizing government buildings and beginning an insurgency in April.
Mr Yanukovych fled in February after a wave of pro-Western protests in Kiev triggered by his refusal to sign a partnership agreement with the European Union. At least 3,700 people have been killed since then, 300 of them in sporadic clashes between the Ukrainian army and separatists around Donetsk's airport since a truce was agreed on 5 September.
Anger in eastern Ukraine at his overthrow turned to unrest with separatists seizing government buildings and beginning an insurgency in April.
The election comes amid an energy crisis, with Russia cutting off gas supplies to Ukraine in June in a dispute over unpaid bills.The election comes amid an energy crisis, with Russia cutting off gas supplies to Ukraine in June in a dispute over unpaid bills.
Ukraine's economy is also collapsing, with GDP forecast to fall between 7% and 10% this year.Ukraine's economy is also collapsing, with GDP forecast to fall between 7% and 10% this year.
Are you in Ukraine? What is your reaction to the election? You can email your experiences to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.Are you in Ukraine? What is your reaction to the election? You can email your experiences to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.