Call us - West scrambles to talk to Ukraine's new leader

Ukrainian presidential candidate Volodymyr Zelenskiy reacts following the announcement of the first exit poll in a presidential election at his campaign headquarters in Kiev, Ukraine April 21, 2019. REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union scrambled to get a call with Ukraine's president-elect Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Monday as Western powers wondered whether the TV comic would heed their urgings to stick with reforms that they hope can anchor the country beyond the grip of Russia.

EU institutional leaders Donald Tusk and Jean-Claude Juncker wrote jointly to congratulate the 41-year-old political novice on an easy win over Petro Poroshenko, for five years the West's champion in Kiev. But they also stressed that they are counting on more democratic reforms and fighting corruption.