The European Union has praised the weekend's "successful" presidential elections in Ukraine, saying that it marks"a major step" towards de-escalating tensions in the country. "All Ukrainians should take these polls as an opportunity for a freshstart for the country and commence by accepting the outcome of thevote once the final results are known," EU President Herman Van Rompuy and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso wrote. The two men also welcomed the fact that Russia says it is prepared for dialogue with Ukraine's new president. "We look forward to further concrete steps on this constructive path, including the use of leverage on armed groups to de-escalate the situation on the ground," they said. NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen congratulated Ukraine too, noting that the election was endorsed by international observers" despite the criminal violence, intimidation and provocation by pro-Russian separatists. "
