Serhiy Tyhypko, the third-place candidate in Ukraine's first round of presidential elections, said on Wednesday he would not support either opposition leader Viktor Yanukovych or Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko in the February runoff.
"I have held negotiations with Tymoshenko and Yanukovych on the same day. So far my position remains unchanged. I will not recommend my electors who to vote for in the second round," the Ukrainian news agency LigaBusinessInform quoted Tyhypko as saying.
Yanukovych and Tymoshenko face a February 7 runoff in Ukraine's presidential polls after neither of them was able to secure victory in the first round of voting.
With 100% of the ballots counted, Yanukovych garnered 35.32% and Tymoshenko took 25.05%.
Ex-National Bank head Tyhypko gained 13.06%. He was followed by ex-parliamentary speaker Arseniy Yatsenyuk with 6.96% and incumbent president Viktor Yushchenko with 5.45%. A total of 2.2% of voters voted for "none of the above."
Both Yanukovych and Tymoshenko have indicated a desire to better relations with Moscow, soured in recent years over Kiev's NATO bid, gas disputes, and a host of other issues.
In line with Ukraine's legislation, a runoff takes place if none of the candidates is able to gain 50% plus one vote in the first round.
KIEV, January 20 (RIA Novosti)
