Carl Bildt can't speak of a nation-wide election in Ukraine on Sunday, as voting in areas of the east controlled by pro-Russia rebels has been limited. About 3 million Ukrainians had no opportunity to decide "the future of Ukraine". Besides a large part of the population there resents Kiev deeply, after months of shelling.

Will the election "decide the future of Russia"? Yes, it means Moscow would continue its politics of "frozen conflict", which makes sure that Ukraine remains unstable. Would this "have a substantial impact on the future of Europe"? Yes, because the Cold War era would come back to haunt the Europeans.

Although the election results may allow Poroshenko to have a clear mandate to forge the much needed reforms, the general mood in the country is low. Eight months after Yanukovich's ouster, there's a wide-spread feeling that nothing - cronyism and rampant corruption - has changed. They face a disintegrating economy and a high mountain of debt. A dependence on Russian gas means Ukrainians could go through a severe energy shortage this winter.

Political and economic reforms are just being discussed, and the same, old faces vy for power. It's unclear whether the new parliament would be a venue of dissent and political infighting, allowing groups that oppose Poroshenko to challenge his policies.

Many question also whether Poroshenko, a billionaire and oligarch, really has their interests at heart and wants to transform Ukraine into something more transparent and democratic. If he does introduce austerity measures, like cutting energy subsidies and restructuring the economy by axing jobs etc., it would lead to an outcry, as ordinary people will feel the economic pain.

The war in the east is another flashpoint. Poroshenko's peace plan is highly unpopular. There is heavy criticism of the government's overall conduct of the war. Many fear it has rewarded the militants and Russia. The military is still badly equipped and led. Recruits have to pay for their gear and weapons. If the conflict in the east escalates, there will be a return to full-scale combat. As long as Ukraine is embroiled in a perpetual turmoil, it will not qualify itself for the EU membership. This suits Putin, as it's exactly what he doesn't want - "the emergence of a strong and democratic Ukraine from decades of failure".