Popular Russian singer and Duma lawmaker Iosif Kobzon (right) sings with separatist leader in eastern Ukraine Aleksandr Zakharchenko in Donetsk, in eastern Ukraine. Kobzon appeared in the rebel stronghold despite a ban by Ukrainian authorities on his entry to Ukraine.
From a dpa analysis by Nikolaus von Twickel and Andreas Stein that suggests the "pro-Western election shift will not heal Ukraine's divisions":
A projection by the Ukrainskaya Pravda newspaper estimates that, together with former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko's party and the Samopomich (Self-help) party, pro-Western parties can expect to control 258 of the 420 seats in the new parliament.
However, Poroshenko does not look like a winner.
Contrary to expectations, his newly formed Poroshenko Bloc has failed to achieve its objective of becoming a dominant force, winning just 126 parliamentary seats, according to the projection.
Poroshenko will therefore have to make compromises over cabinet and policy decisions with Yatsenyuk's party, which has advocated a tougher line in the conflict with Russia and the separatists in the east.
The outcome of the vote "reflects voters' desire to continue the alliance between Poroshenko and Yatsenyuk," said Taras Berezovets, a well-known Kiev-based political consultant.
AP reports that U.S. Vice President Joe Biden will travel to Ukraine next month, where he will meet with President Petro Poroshenko.