22 Apr 2019 13:49

Georgian president congratulates Ukraine on free election, hopes to bolster cooperation

TBILISI. April 22 (Interfax) - Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili has congratulated Volodymyr Zelensky on winning the free and fair presidential election in Ukraine and expressed hope for deepening bilateral relations in a statement posted on Twitter on Monday.

"I congratulate Volodymyr Zelensky on being elected the next president of Ukraine, and the people of Ukraine on holding a free and fair election," Zourabichvili said.

She said she was expecting to build a successful relationship with the new Ukrainian president and to deepen bilateral relations.

Earlier on Monday, Zelensky was congratulated by Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze, who expressed Georgia's support for a peaceful and democratic choice for Ukraine.

Zelensky gained 73.17% of the vote in the runoff election, while incumbent Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko got 24.5%, the Ukrainian Central Elections Commission said on Monday after counting 95.06% of votes.