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Ukraine's prime minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk quits Ukraine's prime minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk quits
(35 minutes later)
Ukraine’s prime minister, Arseniy Yatsenyuk, announced his resignation on Sunday following a political crisis that has paralysed the government and frozen the release of vital western aid for months. Ukraine’s prime minister, Arseniy Yatsenyuk, has announced his resignation following a political crisis that has paralysed the government and frozen the release of western aid for months.
“Having done everything to ensure stability and make a smooth transition of power possible, I decided to step down from the post of prime minister of Ukraine,” the 41-year-old pro-western leader said in a video address.“Having done everything to ensure stability and make a smooth transition of power possible, I decided to step down from the post of prime minister of Ukraine,” the 41-year-old pro-western leader said in a video address.
His decision comes barely two months after he survived a no-confidence vote in his government.His decision comes barely two months after he survived a no-confidence vote in his government.
He said the party of the country’s president, Petro Poroshenko, had already nominated the speaker of parliament, Volodymyr Groysman, to his post and that he would not stand in the way. He said the party of the president, Petro Poroshenko, had already nominated the speaker of parliament, Volodymyr Groysman, to fill his post and he would not stand in the way.
“From today onwards, I see my goals in a broader light than just heading the government,” Yatsenyuk said. “From today onwards I see my goals in a broader light than just heading the government,” Yatsenyuk said.
His condemnation of Russia’s alleged backing of the two-year uprising in eastern Ukraine and his clinching a crucial IMF rescue package in early 2015 helped his party become parliament’s second largest in October 2015 elections. His condemnation of Russia’s alleged backing of the two-year uprising in eastern Ukraine and his clinching of a crucial IMF rescue package in early 2015 helped his party become parliament’s second largest in elections in October 2015.
He formed a parliamentary coalition with the president’s bloc and several junior partners, and was able to push through some tough and highly unpopular austerity measures prescribed by the IMF.He formed a parliamentary coalition with the president’s bloc and several junior partners, and was able to push through some tough and highly unpopular austerity measures prescribed by the IMF.
His party’s approval rating has since slumped to aonly 2% both because of the painful economic reforms and his perceived inability to tackle state corruption. His party’s approval rating has since slumped to 2%, both because of the painful economic reforms and his perceived inability to tackle state corruption.
Yatsenyuk’s decision means that Ukraine will be headed by a new government that has also vowed to pursue the former Soviet nation’s current pro-western course.