Kiev, May 27 (IANS): Petro Poroshenko has retained his lead in the Ukrainian presidential race, taking 54.45 percent of the vote, with over 95 percent of ballots counted, authorities said Tuesday.
According to the Central Electoral Commission (CEC), the 48-year-old businessman popularly known as "chocolate king" was set to win the vote in the first round, as he was clearly leading in the capital city Kiev and all 24 Ukrainian regions, Xinhua reported.
Full results will be announced late Tuesday or early Wednesday after the CEC receives voting data from the two electoral districts of the eastern Donetsk region, where armed activists clashed with government troops, disrupting transport links.
Poroshenko, the likely winning presidential poll candidate, Monday pledged to put an end to war and bring peace to Ukraine.
He said that establishing dialogue with protestors in the east was the top priority for him, but emphasised he would not negotiate with terrorists.
Over 60 percent of 35.5 million Ukrainian voters cast their ballots in the presidential poll Sunday.
The early election was called three months after former president Viktor Yanukovych was ousted in February and fled to Russia.