World leaders congratulate Yanukovych

Viktor Yanukovych has been busy on the phone taking calls from various world leaders congratulating him on his victory. Yanukovych’s website reports that he has spoken with U.S. President Barack Obama, German President Horst Köhler, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, Polish President Lech Kaczy?ski, Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili and Russian President Dmitriy Medvedev, among others. Brad Wells: The blessing of world leaders significantly bolsters Yanukovych’s claim to the presidency. Contender Yulia Tymoshenko has yet to formally concede, defiantly chairing a Cabinet of Ministers meeting yesterday as Prime Minister and refusing to step down from her post. Her party has moved to contest the results in several Yanukovych-dominated regions and is seeking a recount. Her challenges are widely viewed to have little chance of success. Negotiations are already underway in parliament between Yanukovych’s Party of Regions and various blocs on forming a new coalition; a deal so far does not appear imminent, though Regions MPs have said an announcement could be made as early as next week.