Klitschko and Poroshenko could unite for second-round runoff

Ukrainian presidential candidate Vitali Klitschko said that he and rival Petro Poroshenko would be willing to support each other in a second round runoff, reported the BBC on March 27.  “I think that in a second round, we can consider the possibility of supporting each other, but it’s too early to talk about that now,” Klitschko said. “I’m certain that the democratic forces should unite to demonstrate unity.”

Former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko formally declared her candidacy for the Ukrainian presidency on March 27. She set battling state corruption as among her top priorities, citing her success in 2000 in reforming Ukraine’s fuel and energy sector. She vowed to battle oligarchic clans and convert Ukraine’s oligarchy-based economy into honest business. She said she can defend Ukraine’s territorial integrity against Russian aggression and even return Crimea to the Ukrainian fold.

Zenon Zawada: Klitschko’s unity proposal is significant because it offers further confidence that a Kremlin-aligned president won’t emerge after the May 25 vote. Their alliance also seeks to prevent the election of Tymoshenko, their mutual rival. Klitschko and Poroshenko are united in their mutual distaste for the politics of Tymoshenko, which have consisted of undermining rival oligarchs to consolidate her grip on the nation’s resources, such as natural gas transit. Their sponsors will be seeking protection against Tymoshenko’s possible intentions to undermine their business.