WASHINGTON, October 27 (RIA Novosti) - United States congratulates Ukrainians for voting in parliamentary elections, states that the voting was conducted in an orderly manner, National Security Council spokesperson Mark Stroh told RIA Novosti.
“We congratulate the people of Ukraine for voting today in their parliamentary election. This vote was held despite a challenging political and security environment in parts of Ukraine, and millions of voters turned out across the country to cast their ballots,” Stroh said on Sunday.
Stroh noted, that that according to the numerous observers, Ukrainians voted in an “overwhelmingly peaceful and orderly manner.“
“We look forward to working together with President Poroshenko, the new Rada, and the new government to help Ukraine meet the challenges it faces, and to help fulfill the aspirations of Ukraine’s people for a more secure, prosperous, and democratic future,” Stroh said.
Stroh said that the United States “reiterates its call for Russia to exercise its considerable influence” in order to ensure that the independence supporters of southeastern Ukraine “adhere to all their commitments under the Minsk agreements, which call for local elections on December 7.”
Early parliamentary elections were held in Ukraine on Sunday. Ukrainians went to the polls to vote in 423 members of parliament — 225 of them from party lists and 198 in single-candidate constituencies. The electoral threshold has been set at five percent.
The law on the special status of parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, adopted by Ukraine as part of the Minsk agreements reached in September, stipulates that local elections are to take place on December 7. However, the Donetsk and Luhansk people's republics, laying claims to the whole territory of respective Ukrainian regions, intend to hold their own elections. The two self-proclaimed republics will choose their leaders and parliaments on November 2.
