Opposition leader Yatsenyuk elected as Ukraine PM

Arseniy Yatsenyuk, who has been elected as Ukraine's new Prime Minister is being cheered by supporters. A file photo.

The Ukrainian parliament has elected former opposition leader Arseniy Yatsenyuk as the country’s Prime Minister.

Mr. Yatsenyyuk, a close ally of former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko, was backed by 371 of 417 participating deputies.

Before his election, Mr. Yatsenyuk vowed to sign an association agreement with the European Union and promised to keep Crimea inside Ukraine.

Meanwhile, the European Union should deploy financial aid and sanctions to help tackle the crisis in Ukraine, the bloc’s parliament said on Thursday in a resolution.

Lawmakers called for the EU to “take the lead” in the organization of a donors’ conference for the cash-strapped country.

Ukraine should be offered both short-term and long-term support packages, the parliament said. It also called for the EU to proceed with travel bans and asset freezes against those responsible for violence in the country, as agreed by foreign ministers last week.

“Those who misused their powers and are responsible for crimes against Ukrainian citizens should face independent trials,” the legislature added in a statement.