EU pledges support for new leader in Ukraine

The European Union is congratulating Volodymyr Zelenskiy on his election as Ukrainian president, pledging strong support for his plans to reform the country and fight corruption.

In a joint letter to Zelenskiy on Monday, EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and European Council chief Donald Tusk said the political novice can “count on the EU’s continued and steadfast support of Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.”

Juncker and Tusk wrote that “you can count on the EU’s strong support to Ukraine’s reform path, including consolidating the rule of law, fighting corruption, maintaining macro-financial stability and pursuing the essential reform of the energy sector.” And they said that further implementation of a Ukraine-EU association agreement could be a “crucial instrument” in achieving that.

Zelenskiy, a TV actor, trounced incumbent Petro Poroshenko in Sunday’s election.