In accordance with its mandate, and following a formal invitation from the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to observe the upcoming presidential elections, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) sent two representatives from the ODIHR Election Section to Ukraine to prepare for the Presidential Election Observation Mission. The ODIHR team met with senior officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Central Election Commission, the Ministry of Interior (responsible for security of the polling stations) and the headquarters of several prominent presidential candidates. For additional information regarding ODIHR activities please go to www.osce.org/odihr.