Rivals Weigh Up Options After Ukrainian Poll

President Viktor Yushchenko of Ukraine was forced between a rock and a hard place last night as his two chief detractors closed in on the country's premiership.

The party of Viktor Yanukovich, who was deposed during the orange revolution led by Mr Yushchenko, is predicted to have scored highest in parliamentary elections on Sunday, putting him in a strong position to claim the post.

But the bloc of Yulia Timoshenko, whom Mr Yushchenko sacked as prime minister, seems to have come a close second. The result gives her the chance to dictate terms in the event of a new coalition and even to insist on retaking the post of prime minister. The president's party came third. Negotiations over a revived orange pact were under way yesterday, although Mr Yushchenko hinted that no quick decisions would be made. His caution suggested that a "marriage of convenience" between his party and the pro-Russian Mr Yanukovich was still possible.

The orange uprising against a falsified presidential election in 2004 prompted high hopes for a pro-western future. But infighting and a stumbling economy quickly led to disenchantment and a split.

Mr Yanukovich capitalised on his tormentors' woes while nurturing bedrock support in the Russian-speaking east and south. With 40% of votes counted yesterday, his Party of the Regions had 27.5% of the vote, with Ms Timoshenko's party on 23.6%. President Yushchenko's Our Ukraine bloc won about 16%.

Parliament has one month from the publication of final results to convene, another month to form a majority, and a third to nominate a cabinet.

While a pact with Mr Yanukovich would be humiliating for the president, it could be sold as an act of national reconciliation in a deeply divided country. Mr Yushchenko might find working with the interventionist Ms Timoshenko more troublesome after their split in the autumn.

Ms Timoshenko ruled out any cooperation with Mr Yanukovich's party in a recent interview with the Guardian.