Even before the dust had settled in Ukraine's parliamentary election, Russia's mighty Gazprom gave notice of its intent to demand payment of its outstanding gas bills from any new government. It held back from an earlier announcement that might have embarrassed the outgoing Russia-friendly prime minister, Viktor Yanukovich. It will have no such scruples now.

Voters have, by a narrow margin, given their backing to the pro-western parties headed by Viktor Yushchenko, the state president, and Yulia Tymoshenko, the opposition leader, former allies who led the 2004 Orange revolution. That much is clear. What is less clear is whether Mr Yushchenko and Ms Tymoshenko will now be able to capitalise on their success.