The parties of Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and Kyiv's Mayor Vitaly Klitschko have merged ahead of local elections in October.
Klitschko, a former heavyweight boxing world champion, was elected to lead the merged party during a joint session of his party, UDAR, and the president's Solidarity party in Kyiv on August 28.
Addressing the meeting, Poroshenko called on the country's pro-European parties to unite, saying there were too many political forces in the country.
Local media reported that the new political force is expected to run in elections under the name of Solidarity.
Ukraine is due to hold local elections on October 25, but the polls will not be conducted in the areas held by Russian-backed separatists in the country’s east.
