WASHINGTON, D.C. — Experts on Ukraine, who are also mostly good friends of the country, were making efforts to put a positive spin on the outcome of the first round of the March 31 presidential election won by TV comedian Volodymyr Zelenskiy.

They praised the orderly conduct of the voting, judged to be largely free of cheating, and tried to show optimism about the prospect of a Zelenskiy presidency. But many were clearly troubled about Zelenskiy’s lack of political experience and by an absence of detailed policy intentions.

Zelenskiy, with 30 percent of the vote, trounced President Petro Poroshenko, who garnered around 16 percent. The two will face off in the deciding second-round vote on April 21.

There were no polls among the Ukrainian diaspora about who they favored or thought would win.