The billionaire businessman and politician, Petro Poroshenko, will be sworn in as Ukraine’s new president on Saturday.
Although Poroshenko faces major challenges -- especially in terms of ending the violence that continues to rage in the country's eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk -- he enjoys a strong mandate, having won the elections with a decisive 55 per cent of the vote.
Many Ukrainians hope he can usher in a new age of political stability and transparency, while forging closer ties with the EU and improving relations with Russia following the annexation of Crimea.
Among the optimists are members of the Ukrainian diaspora in the United States.
In San Francisco, a non-profit called Nova Ukraine has brought ex-patriates together to celebrate Ukrainian democracy -- but also to pledge their ongoing support, and raise money, for those injured in the turmoil back home.
Rebecca Bowring reports.
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Dozens of Ukrainian ex-patriates, along with Russians and Kazakhs, have gathered in a bar in San Francisco's financial district to eat dumplings, drink champagne and dance the night away…
But behind the revelry is a serious message. The need to help Ukraine build a brighter future.
Nova Ukraine is a San Francisco-based non-profit focused on fighting corruption, giving aid to victims of violence and establishing a civil society.
Nick Bilogorskiy is its CEO and President.
SOT Nick Bilogorskiy, CEO and President of Nova Ukraine
Being here we are in a unique position to connect the American community with the Ukrainian community and bring in the support from a lot of powerful American individuals, sponsors, raise awareness about Ukraine in the United States, that's a unique thing we can do here.
UPSOT folk song
As well as speeches and an art auction, there was also traditional Ukrainian folk music at the event…
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This haunting melody was a reminder of the scores of people who died in the upheaval that gripped Ukraine earlier this year, following the ousting of then-President Victor Yanukovych.
Many more were injured in the Maidan protests.
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Nova Ukraine was born out of an earlier, informal, group that held solidarity rallies in San Francisco.
It's since donated money to support victims' families, help pay medical costs, and send children to summer camp in Canada.
Nick Bilogorskiy again.
SOT Nick Bilogorskiy, CEO and President of Nova Ukraine
We had one event so far on the Golden Gate bridge, a rally for the unity of Ukraine to symbolize crossing the bridge with Ukranian flags symbolized the unity of east and west Ukraine together. We also helped people register for the elections.
UPSOT
Ukraine's Consul General in San Francisco Sergei Aloshyn also attended, praising the free and fair elections that saw Poroshenko win a decisive victory.
San Francisco-based expats were able to vote in that poll.
The Bay Area has a thriving Ukrainian community… the country is a hotspot for software programmers, some of whom now work for Silicon Valley companies such as Google and Facebook.
Melanie McCutchan is Ukrainian-American. Many of her relatives still live there.
SOT Melanie McCutchan
What I hope for all Ukrainians and for my family that lives in the Ukraine is that they get to live in a civilized, democratic society where their elected officials really respond to the people, they're not a bunch of oligarchs that are only trying to enrich themselves and steal billions of dollars from Ukrainian taxpayers.
Nova Ukraine supporters will work to establish cultural and educational programs in their homeland which they say -- no matter how far away they may live -- remains continually on their minds. Rebecca Bowring, San Francisco
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