The former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko has, as expected, been nominated as a candidate for the presidential election on 31 March.
„From today onwards, we will begin a new epoch – an epoch of success, happiness and prosperity,“ said the 58-year-old on Tuesday in front of delegates from her fatherland party in Kiev. Tymoshenko has been in polls for months clearly before incumbent Petro Poroshenko.
One of the main topics of the election campaign in the ex-Soviet republic is the ongoing conflict in eastern Ukraine since 2014. Tymoshenko promised to launch a diplomatic offensive.
Parts of the industrial district of Donbass are controlled by separatists supported by Russia. According to UN figures, around 13,000 people were killed in the war.
More than 20 Ukrainians have already declared their intention to run for office. Twelve applicants have already been registered by the Central Electoral Commission. It could be that no candidate in the first ballot receives more than 50 percent of the votes, then a runoff election in April is necessary. Timoshenko was twice prime minister and ran for election in 2010 and 2014 – unsuccessful.
