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| Ukraine MPs approve Volodymyr Groysman as new PM | Ukraine MPs approve Volodymyr Groysman as new PM |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| MPs in Ukraine have backed a new government led by parliamentary speaker Volodymyr Groysman, after weeks of political uncertainty. | |
| MPs voted by 257 to 50 to approve Mr Groysman's appointment and accept the resignation of his predecessor, Arseniy Yatsenyuk. | |
| Mr Yatsenyuk announced he was stepping down on Sunday. | Mr Yatsenyuk announced he was stepping down on Sunday. |
| His government had faced accusations of corruption and inability to implement reforms. | His government had faced accusations of corruption and inability to implement reforms. |
| Mr Yatsenyuk had been in office since former pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych was ousted during huge demonstrations in February 2014. | Mr Yatsenyuk had been in office since former pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych was ousted during huge demonstrations in February 2014. |
| The Western-backed reform programme of his government has stalled in recent weeks and several high-profile reformists have left the government. | The Western-backed reform programme of his government has stalled in recent weeks and several high-profile reformists have left the government. |
| Economy Minister Aivaras Abromavicius resigned more than two months ago after accusing the government of lacking commitment to end corruption. | Economy Minister Aivaras Abromavicius resigned more than two months ago after accusing the government of lacking commitment to end corruption. |
| Mr Groysman told parliament: "Together we will make Ukraine successful". | Mr Groysman told parliament: "Together we will make Ukraine successful". |
| An ally of Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko, he will now be under pressure to continue Ukraine's EU-backed reform programme, the BBC's Tom Burridge reports from Kiev. | |
| However, no cabinet positions have been given to foreign technocrats brought in by the previous government to tackle Ukraine's endemic corruption. Among the key names missing are those of US-born former Finance Minister Natalia Yaresko and her adviser, Slovak politician Ivan Miklos. | |
| Herculean task - by Tom Burridge, BBC News, Kiev | |
| Ukraine's new prime minister is a relatively unknown quantity. Critics say, as an ally of the president, he is a product of the old order and not the right main to push through much-needed change. | |
| But Volodymyr Groysman's supporters paint him as a rising political star who can unite Ukraine's main political factions and get the EU-backed reform programme moving again. | |
| The fact that he is an ally of the President Petro Poroshenko will sharpen the focus on Mr Poroshenko's record in office. | |
| The new Groysman-Poroshenko political order has a herculean task ahead: | |
| There has been some progress, including a new police force, anti-corruption agency and some changes to the judiciary as well as a reduction in the budget deficit. | |
| But many reformists are disappointed with Ukraine's progress towards a more European style of governance. The president and prime minister are now under pressure, from their Western partners and the Ukrainian people, to deliver more change. | |
| Ukraine's second-youngest prime minister | |
| Exactly two years since the war in the east of Ukraine began, the battle for political reform in Kiev has entered a new phase, our correspondent reports. | Exactly two years since the war in the east of Ukraine began, the battle for political reform in Kiev has entered a new phase, our correspondent reports. |
| Mr Poroshenko addressed parliament ahead of Thursday's vote. He responded to critics who claim he himself is an obstacle to real change by saying his government would remain on a path towards greater European integration and continue to fight corruption. | |
| Mr Yatsenyuk's loss of parliamentary support led to him being asked by President Poroshenko to resign in February. Although he survived a vote of confidence, he remained unpopular in opinion polls. | Mr Yatsenyuk's loss of parliamentary support led to him being asked by President Poroshenko to resign in February. Although he survived a vote of confidence, he remained unpopular in opinion polls. |
| The International Monetary Fund has threatened to withhold aid money if Ukraine does not carry out reforms. | The International Monetary Fund has threatened to withhold aid money if Ukraine does not carry out reforms. |
| The government in Kiev is signed up to an uneasy truce with pro-Russian rebels in two of Ukraine's eastern regions, with frequent ceasefire violations reported. | The government in Kiev is signed up to an uneasy truce with pro-Russian rebels in two of Ukraine's eastern regions, with frequent ceasefire violations reported. |
| Russia annexed the southern region of Crimea two years ago after a referendum on self-determination - a move condemned by the US and Europe. | Russia annexed the southern region of Crimea two years ago after a referendum on self-determination - a move condemned by the US and Europe. |
| Ukraine's ambitions to join the EU also suffered a setback on 6 April when voters in the Netherlands rejected a landmark EU trade deal with the former Soviet state in a non-binding referendum. | |