Volodymyr Zelensky: Comedian-president calls snap election

Comedian Volodymyr Zelensky announced a snap parliamentary election during his swearing-in as Ukraine's new president.

The election was expected to take place in October 2019. But at the ceremony in Kiev Mr Zelensky said "I am dissolving the Verkhovna Rada (parliament)".

He said ending the conflict with Russian-backed rebels in the east would be his top priority.

A political novice, he campaigned strongly against official corruption.

"People must come to power who will serve the public," he said on Monday.

The former television star - who acted the part of Ukrainian president in a comedy - scored a landslide victory in last month's presidential election.

"We must become Icelanders in football, Israelis in defending our land, Japanese in technology," he said.

Hinting at Russia, without naming it, he said Ukrainians must also "become Swiss in our ability to live happily with each other, despite any differences".

"Our first task is to achieve a ceasefire in Donbas," he said, referring to the eastern region controlled by Russian-backed rebels.