Ukraine has made its choice. And it seems that this has become a big victory for the party of the new President Volodymyr Zelensky. But even after the election, much remains unknown. Even if the Servant of the People independently forms a majority in the Verkhovna Rada, it is not yet possible to say definitively in which direction the former actor will lead his country.
Claiming that Zelensky is willing to reproach with Russia would be false, Handelsblatt argues in its article. The opposite is proved by his first political steps.
Zelensky wants to lead his country toward the EU and NATO. Of course, it is unclear whether it will be possible to implement this plan because Brussels does not really want to accept new countries. Besides, Kyiv will first need to fulfill all the requirements for joining. In any case, Zelensky will see opportunities.
That's because he did not just become the president who was chosen by the greatest number of voters in Ukraine's history. He will also secure a solid majority in the Verkhovna Rada. Even if it is necessary to form a coalition, he has promising partners. First of all, this could be a Ukrainian rock star Svyatoslav Vakarchuk. His party Holos [Voice] and Zelensky's political force share some goals. They are loyal to Europe and liberal to business. Most of their deputies are novices who seek radical change.
Read alsoUkraine to become de-facto presidential republic after parliamentary elections – media
But the question of whether Zelensky and Vakarchuk are able to unite forces and rule the country together will remain unanswered for some time. It is not yet clear, what the Ukrainian president stands for. He says he wants to fight corruption and oligarchs. And, in fact, since May 20, he has been doing precisely this, at least in words. He has been touring Ukrainian cities, accusing officials of bribery and demanding that the customs officials be sacked. But so far nothing substantial has happened.
The publication writes that it will be very profitable for Russia if Ukraine gets stuck in its own contradictions. Vladimir Putin, as well as his regime, amid economic stagnation and political depression, definitely does not need a free, rich and democratic Ukraine. But Ukraine can actually become such. To this end, the EU must to restrain Russia with sanctions, while helping Kyiv with billions of euros in aid.
On election night, Zelensky said that he would in the coming month select a new prime minister, who should be an "economy guru". This gives hope that he is seriously focused on reform. But the IMF, the European Union, and other donors will have to suffer from expectations for at least a month before they can see where Ukraine is actually heading now.
