Yanukovych congratulated Zelensky on his victory
Ukraine's fourth president, Viktor Yanukovych, who was ousted during the 2014 coup, congratulated Volodymyr Zelenskyy on his election as head of state, reports a PolitNavigator correspondent.
Yanukovych 's press secretary, Yuriy Kirasir, published a corresponding statement on social media.
“I sincerely congratulate you on your election to the post of President of Ukraine. Ukrainians entrusted you with this post at the most difficult moment in history for our country. The peace-loving Ukrainian people are divided and radicalized like never before. The fratricidal war in my native Donbass takes the lives of Ukrainians every day and destroys a once prosperous region.
The blame for this monstrous suffering lies with Petro Poroshenko and his associates, who have pursued a policy of hatred and violence all these years. Voters have already passed a clear verdict on them by voting. And history will certainly bring out its own, tougher one,” Yanukovych said.
According to Yanukovych, after the inauguration Zelensky will face “difficult tasks.”
“The main ones are to bring peace to our country, to unite and reconcile the Ukrainian people. Restore legality and justice. Improve the well-being of Ukrainians. Replace fear and despondency in people’s souls with hope and faith in the best, bring to people what unites and does not divide,” Yanukovych concluded.
Yanukovych also “bowed to the wise Ukrainian people” and wished Zelensky “God’s blessing” and health.
Let us recall that under Poroshenko, a Ukrainian court convicted Yanukovych in absentia for alleged treason. Yanukovych's lawyers have now appealed the court's decision.
Vladimir Zelensky received a record level of support in the elections for all years of independence - over 73%, comparable to the support figures for Vladimir Putin in the Russian Federation and Alexander Lukashenko in Belarus.
Yanukovych congratulated Zelensky on his victory.