Poroshenko Barred from Leaving – Is He Planning Secret Talks with Hungary’s Orban? Ukraine’s Former President Denies Allegations.
Ukrainian border authorities have barred former President Petro Poroshenko from leaving the country. According to a report by Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU), as reported by Germany’s ZDF today, the reason for this action was an alleged planned meeting between Poroshenko and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. ZDF today further reports that the SBU accuses Orban of a “systematically anti-Ukrainian stance” and considers the meeting as part of Moscow’s information campaigns against Ukraine.
Poroshenko Denies Allegations
Poroshenko, who served as Ukraine’s head of state from 2014 to 2019, denies planning such a meeting with Orban. He states that he intended to conduct talks in Poland and the USA, including discussions about U.S. military aid and issues at the Polish border. ZDF today also confirms these statements.
Investigations Against Poroshenko
Following his departure from office, investigations were launched against Poroshenko for high treason and corruption, as reported by ZDF today. The former president suspects these investigations to be politically motivated by his successor and current head of state, Volodymyr Zelensky. Poroshenko’s party, “European Solidarity,” is the second-largest faction in the Ukrainian parliament, following Zelensky’s “Servant of the People” party.
Image: President.gov.ua, Debates of Petro Poroshenko and Vladimir Zelensky (19.04.2019) 02, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, (no changes made)