KIEV, May 18 /ITAR-TASS/. Presidential candidate from the Ukrainian People’s Party Alexander Klimenko quitted the campaigning race at early presidential elections in the country due on May 25, the party’s press service reported on Sunday.

“Delegates at a conference [of this political force in central Ukraine’s Poltava region] appealed to governing bodies of the Ukrainian People’s Party and its chairman Alexander Klimenko and other presidential candidates to quit the presidential race and support Pyotr Poroshenko as the only representative of national democratic forces in the country as the latter enjoys a broad support of citizens in the country and may win elections already in the first round,” the press service said, noting that Klimenko had supported this proposal and had withdrawn his candidacy.

Leader of the party Ukraine - Forward! Natalia Korolevskaya, leader of the civil union New Kiev Zoryan Shkiryak, former member of the Party of Regions Oleg Tsarev and leader of the Communist Party Pyotr Simonenko have earlier refused to run in presidential elections. So, 18 candidates will vie for president in the country.