KIEV, April 9. /TASS/. Progress in the issue of a peace settlement in the east of Ukraine is what people anticipate most of all from the presidential election in Ukraine, but this issue can be discussed more substantially only after the new president is inaugurated, the political council chief of Ukraine’s Opposition Platform - For Life party, Viktor Medvedchuk, said on Tuesday.

"Issues of peace and end to warfare, economic and social issues should remain key priority, including for the presidential candidates. Peace settlement is the main expectation from the election, but discussion on the issue can be started anew only after April 21, I think," Medvedchuk told 112 Ukraine television.

"To be more exact, after the new president is inaugurated," he added. Meanwhile, the candidates are "engaged in absolutely different matters," Medvedchuk noted. However, the opposition intends to continue dealing with the issues of peace in Donbass no matter who will be elected as president. Medvedchuk also hailed the role of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in the settlement.

"Lukashenko is the person who created conditions for a platform for negotiations in Minsk, that is why the role of Lukashenko for the Minsk agreements is evident. He believes absolutely that peace must be established, and he is ready to do everything that is needed for this," he went on to say. "He wants this, he has a possibility and everything that Lukashenko will be doing will be taken by the Ukrainian nationals with trust," the politician said.

On Sunday, Ukraine’s Central Election Commission announced the official results of the first round of the presidential election in the country. The candidate from the Servant of the People Party Vladimir Zelensky received 30.24% of votes, while incumbent Ukrainian President Pyotr Poroshenko came in second with 15.95%. The runoff race has been set for April 21.

During his election campaign, Zelensky repeatedly mentioned complete ceasefire in Donbass as his goal, and expressed readiness for agreeing with Russia. Poroshenko, for his part, stated that Ukraine would begin a new stage in the return of Donbass right after the runoff election.