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Ukraine Looks Toward New Government Following PM's Resignation


FILE - Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk, right, and parliament speaker Volodymyr Groysman are seen during the opening first session of the Ukrainian parliament in Kyiv, Nov. 27, 2014. Ukraine is looking to create a new coalition government this week following Yatsenyuk's resignation.
FILE - Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk, right, and parliament speaker Volodymyr Groysman are seen during the opening first session of the Ukrainian parliament in Kyiv, Nov. 27, 2014. Ukraine is looking to create a new coalition government this week following Yatsenyuk's resignation.

Ukraine is looking to create a new coalition government, following Sunday's resignation of embattled Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk.

Yatsenyuk announced his resignation saying he hoped it would give Ukraine a chance to adopt new electoral, constitutional and judicial reforms, as well as join the European Union and NATO.

Ukraine President Petro Poroshenko expressed confidence a new coalition would be formed and a new prime minister will be selected on Tuesday.

"I expect it will be [Volodymyr] Groysman and I do not want to hide this," said Poroshenko. Groysman is the current parliament speaker.

Yatsenyuk's Cabinet survived a no confidence vote in February, but two parties left the governing coalition for failure to oust him. He has been criticized for Ukraine's worsening economy and the slow pace of reforms.

Early elections could be called if Ukraine lawmakers fail to unite behind a new prime minister, but President Petro Poroshenko has sought to avoid new voting for fear of further destabilizing the country.

Kyiv's forces have been battling pro-Russian separatists for control of two regions in eastern Ukraine for the past two years. To date, the conflict has killed more than 9,000 people. At the same time, Moscow continues to control Ukraine's Crimean peninsula which it annexed in March of 2014.

Some material for this report came from AFP and Reuters.

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