Ukraine’s Presidential Election Results & Commentary

There will be a runoff between Zelensky and Poroshenko, but Zelensky, a former comedian, is the heavy favorite.

TOP 10 of the candidates for the presidency in Ukraine:

– Volodymyr Zelensky – 30,23%
– Petro Poroshenko – 15,92%
– Yulia Tymoshenko – 13,40%
– Yuriy Boyko – 11,68%
– Anatoliy Hrytsenko – 6,92%
– Ihor Smeshko – 6,03%
– Oleg Lyashko – 5,48%
– Oleksandr Vilkul – 4,15%
– Ruslan Koshulynsky – 1,63%
– Yuriy Tymoshenko – 0,62%

Good news:

* Ukraine demonstrating that it can peaceful transition power is a huge accomplishment for Ukraine, and for Russia too – because a neighbor demonstrating democracy puts a lot of pressure on their autocracy.

* This is a break from the old. Zelensky is young and popular with reformers.

* Poroshenko did some thing well, but he’s a horrible crook. It’s nice that he won’t be further entrenched.

* Zelenski is pro Western.

* Zelenski inspires the youth in what seems like a good way – activism, involvement, standing up to corruption.

* It is (hopefully) a message, that Poroshenko’s corruption, lack of judicial reform, and in-action on the Maidan killings will not be tolerated.

Bad news:

* Zelenski is probably a puppet of Kolomoisky, on whose television station he built his career. Kolomoisky’s Privat Bank fraud cost Ukraine 6 Billion.

* If Kolomoisky manages evade prosecution, or worse, return to Ukraine from his self-imposed exile is Israel / Switzerland, it will be humiliating for Ukraine.