President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy and President of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso hailed presidential elections held in Ukraine and said they looked forward to working “closely together with the next President in view of ensuring the political and economic stability of Ukraine.”
Having accepted the OSCE/ODIHR’s preliminary assessment that the election was “largely in line with international commitments and that respected fundamental freedoms,” Van Rompuy and Barroso said “the successful holding of these elections constitutes a major step towards the objective of de-escalating tensions and restoring security for all Ukrainians.”
“All Ukrainians should take these polls as an opportunity for a fresh start for the country, and commence by accepting the outcome of the vote once the final results are known,” Van Rompuy and Barroso said in a joint statement.
“We count on the continued commitment of all parties to the Geneva Joint Statement to the electoral process and to its outcome, and welcome statements by the Russian Federation indicating that it will respect the will of the Ukrainian people and engage in a dialogue with the new Ukrainian President,” the statement read.
Van Rompuy and Barroso added that they “look forward to further concrete steps on this constructive path, including the use of leverage on armed groups to de-escalate the situation on the ground.”
“Ukraine and its people now need peace and stability in order to engage in the implementation of much needed and far-reaching reforms. The round tables of national unity have underlined the preparedness of Ukrainians from different political backgrounds and regions to take up this challenge.
“The EU stands ready to assist Ukraine in this endeavour, and it counts on other international partners to do the same,” Van Rompuy and Barroso said.
