Petro Poroshenko is sworn in as president of Ukraine

 An inauguration ceremony began at Ukraine’s parliament - Verkhovna Rada at 10:00 local time (11:00 Moscow time) on Saturday.

The ceremony features 56 foreign delegations, where 23 countries are represented by their heads, prime ministers, parliament speakers and heals of international organisations. Russia is represented by its Ambassador to Ukraine Mikhail Zurabov.

President Petro Poroshenko will be taken to oath by head of the country’s Constitution Court Yuri Baurlin, who will hand to the president the official symbols: a reference sample of the official seal, mace and the president’s sign in the form of a sash chain. Poroshenko will swear allegiance to the Constitution of the people of Ukraine and Peresopnytsia Gospel.

During the ceremony, the parliament’s speaker Alexander Turchinov said at the hall were present the deputies, members of the government, and Ukraine’s former presidents - Leonid Kravchuk, Leonid Kuchma and Viktor Yushchenko.

The ceremony is broadcasted live in six languages.

Peaceful settlement of situation in country’s eastern regions

The first order of  Petro Poroshenko as Ukraine’s president was an act on undertaking responsibilities of the country’s Supreme Commander. He also presented plan for peaceful settlement of situation in country’s eastern regions. He planned  to make trip to Donbass “with peace, with a project to decentralise the power, with guarantees for free use of the Russian language in the region.”

“We are ready to announce early local elections in Donbass to form up a team to participate in negotiations,” he said.

He added that Ukraine’s citizens would not feel secure until relations with Russia were settled.

Ukrainian language should be country’s only state language

Poroshenko said the country’s only state language should be the Ukrainian language. Inspite of this he promised free development of the Russian language in the country. 

Crimea is and will be Ukrainian

Poroshenko said in the inauguration speech “Crimea is and will be Ukrainian".

“I made it clear yesterday (on June 6) to the Russian leaders - Crimea is and will be Ukrainian. Full stop,” Poroshenko said. “There cannot be with anyone a compromise about Crimea.