“Many European countries may envoy the way how elections in Ukraine were held,” Saakashvili said while speaking in Shuster Live talk show on Ukraina TV late on February 7th. He also reiterated that Tbilisi and Ukraine would remain strategic partners no matter who becomes the new president in Ukraine.

Exit polls showed Viktor Yanukovych had a narrow lead over his rival, PM Yulia Tymoshenko in Sunday’s runoff. 

“Ukraine is our strategic partner, our interests fully coincide,” said Saakashvili, who was talking on a live link-up from Georgia. “I am sure Ukraine has a potential to become a regional leader. And I am sure various forms can be found to materialize Ukraine’s regional leadership,” he said.