Ahead of Sunday's hotly contested presidential election, Ukraine is observing a so-called 'day of silence' in which campaigning is forbidden.
Ukrainian presidential candidate and popular comedian Volodymyr Zelenskiy listens to Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko during their final electoral campaign debate at the Olympic stadium in Kiev, Ukraine, Friday, April 19, 2019. Friday is the last official day of election canvassing in Ukraine as all presidential candidates and their campaigns will be barred from campaigning on Saturday, the day before the vote.
Dismayed by endemic corruption, a struggling economy and a five-year fight against Russia-backed insurgents in the country’s east, Ukrainian voters appear poised to strongly rebuke incumbent Petro Poroshenko and replace him with Volodymyr Zelenskiy. Despite never having held political office, Zelenskiy could get more than twice as many votes as Poroshenko, polls suggest.
The two finally held an actual debate on Friday evening, just hours before campaigning was to end. They harshly criticized each other and engaged in the melodrama of both kneeling to ask forgiveness of those who lost relatives in the eastern fighting. He supports Ukraine’s eventual membership in NATO, but only if the country were to approve this in a referendum.
A Ukrainian court this week ruled that the nationalization of a bank once owned by Kolomoyskyi was illegal, leading to new concern about Zelenskiy’s possible ties to him.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Ukraine president holds 1-man 'debate' before runoff voteKIEV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko stood next to an empty lectern bearing his election rival's name and used a solo appearance at Ukraine's largest sports stadium Sunday to...
Read more »
Next Ukraine leader will inherit unfunny problemsA comedian whose TV character accidentally becomes president is the front runner to win Sunday’s election and take charge of securing billions of dollars in aid. To unlock the money, Kiev must satisfy the IMF it is tackling corruption. It’s a challenge where life may imitate art.
Read more »
Poroshenko 2.0: Ukraine leader reboots campaign ahead of presidential run-offPoroshenko 2.0: Ukraine leader reboots campaign ahead of presidential run-off via ReutersTV
Read more »
Comedian expected to crush incumbent in Ukraine’s presidential electionFaced with the strong possibility of being trounced by a comedian with no political experience, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has started throwing Hail Marys, such as awkwardly performing a folk song on stage.
Read more »
Comedian Zelenskiy keeps Ukraine presidential poll leadComic actor Volodymyr Zelenskiy, a political novice who plays a fictional presid...
Read more »
Rivals in Ukraine's presidential runoff debate at stadiumIncumbent President Petro Poroshenko attacks candidate Volodymyr Zelenskiy's inexperience and claims he is dangerously pro-Russia and in turn the comic actor accuses his rival of being corrupt.
Read more »
Country name change dispute haunts Macedonian presidential electionMacedonians vote in a presidential election on Sunday shaping up as an unofficia...
Read more »
Belarus' Lukashenko: presidential election will take place in 2020Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said on Friday that the country's...
Read more »
Spain's Sanchez hardens position on Catalonia ahead of electionSpanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who faces a national election in two weeks...
Read more »
Squalid conditions fuel frustration in South African township ahead of electionJohanna Ditsela lives within sight of the gleaming skyscrapers of South Africa&...
Read more »
Early results put Widodo comfortably ahead in Indonesia's electionEarly results from Indonesia's election on Wednesday showed President Joko Widodo with a comfortable lead.
Read more »