Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the effect of the recent presidential elections in Ukraine on the political situation in that country; and if he will make a statement.

Petro Poroshenko won the 25 May Presidential elections with almost 55 per cent of the vote. The high turn-out demonstrated the Ukrainian people's determination to decide their own future without outside interference, and has sent a decisive signal of their desire for unity, reform and a new future for their country. Illegal armed groups sought to deny the citizens of Donetsk and Luhansk their right to vote. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague) paid tribute to election commission staff in the region who were subjected to appalling levels of intimidation by these armed groups, and also to the citizens in eastern Ukraine who overcame all obstacles to vote or who tried to do so.

In his inaugural speech on 7 June, Mr Poroshenko committed to reach out to all regions, to normalise relations with Russia, and to work to restore stability and calm. Under his leadership, we hope that Ukraine can now move forward with reconciliation and much needed reform.

The UK remains firmly committed to the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of the whole of Ukraine. We look forward to working with Mr Poroshenko and the Ukrainian government in their efforts to build a safe, independent and prosperous country.