Viktor Yanukovich of Ukraine was inaugurated as president on Thursday, promising to tackle corruption and poverty, and restore political stability to regain foreign support for the struggling economy. Despite a disputed election and deep divisions in the country, Yanukovich's swearing-in ceremony marked a comeback from the 2004 Orange Revolution. In his speech to officials, lawmakers, and foreign dignitaries, Yanukovich acknowledged Ukraine's significant challenges, including debt, poverty, corruption, and economic collapse. He emphasized the need for an innovative strategy to move the country forward, which he claimed had already been developed by his team. He discussed the lack of foreign investment in Ukraine, citing the unstable business climate and the need for political stability, the eradication of corruption, and clear regulations for government-business relations. These factors are crucial for building trust with investors and international financial institutions. Ukraine's economy has suffered from the global economic downturn, impacting key exports like steel and chemicals and causing a significant drop in the hryvnia's value against the dollar. The country relies on a $16.4 billion IMF bailout program, which was suspended last year and is expected to resume once stability is restored. The finance ministry announced that an IMF technical mission is scheduled to visit on April 7. This often results in a thorough visit from IMF officials who will later determine whether to resume the program. Yanukovich, a strong former mechanic supported by wealthy industrialists, had a difficult upbringing in eastern Ukraine and was twice convicted of petty crimes, including assault, in his youth. He is expected to improve relations with Russia, Ukraine's former Soviet controller, following five years of separation during Viktor Yushchenko's pro-Western leadership. He has suggested potential compromises with Moscow regarding the future of Russia's Black Sea fleet in Ukraine's Crimean peninsula and has proposed forming a consortium with Russia to manage the country's gas pipelines. However, he has expressed a desire to renegotiate a decade-old agreement on Russian gas supplies to Ukraine that was negotiated by Tymoshenko and Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. He has also stated his intention to pursue a well-rounded foreign policy and has promised to work towards strengthening relations with the European Union. During his speech on Thursday, he emphasized the importance of maintaining open options and establishing mutually beneficial relationships with Russia, the EU, and the United States in order to achieve the best outcomes for Ukraine. His website confirmed that he plans to visit Brussels next week, with EU officials scheduling the visit for Monday. Additionally, he is scheduled to visit Moscow within the first 10 days of March, as announced by his Regions Party. Yanukovich narrowly defeated Prime Minister Tymoshenko by 3.5 percentage points, garnering the support of only a third of the 37 million eligible voters. The voting results showed a clear divide between Russian-speaking voters in the eastern and southern industrial regions who supported Yanukovich, and Ukrainian-speaking voters in the western and central areas who voted for Tymoshenko. Tymoshenko withdrew her legal challenge to Yanukovich's election just last Saturday. However, she maintains that he was not rightfully elected, and most of her bloc in parliament boycotted the ceremony on Thursday, making it seem empty. Despite Yanukovich's call for a competent executive power, Tymoshenko is still resisting efforts to remove her as prime minister, indicating ongoing political tension in the near future. She is trying to rally her allies in parliament while his party and its influential supporters are trying to break up her coalition and form a new one. Creating a coalition involves complex negotiations and may take a significant amount of time. If Yanukovich is unable to form a new coalition, he will have no choice but to hold new parliamentary elections, which will only extend the period of uncertainty.