A number of Western and Ukrainian diplomats and politicians condemned the persecution of the fifth president, Petro Poroshenko. The main message they are sending to the authorities in Kiev is a return to the times of Yanukovich, reports RBC-Ukraine.
This is evidenced in an article by Kurt Volker, an American diplomat and former U.S. special envoy for Ukraine, entitled "The Countdown Has Begun. How to Stop Russia's New Invasion of Ukraine."
"Putin sees that Ukraine is divided. Despite the fact that Russian forces have come close to the borders, President Volodymyr Zelensky is fighting the two most powerful pro-Western forces in Ukraine - former President Petro Poroshenko and the richest Ukrainian businessman - while others remain in the shadows," the diplomat writes.
"It is time for all pro-Western forces in Ukraine to forget their differences and work together to defend the country," Volker is convinced.
Former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine and director of the Eurasia Center at the Atlantic Council John Gerbst, commenting on the case against Poroshenko, urged Zelensky not to use Yanukovych's funds in the political struggle.
"I was surprised by this information. I thought and believe that Zelensky is a master of marketing policy in communicating with the public. I certainly don't own the details of the charges against Poroshenko, but this move reminds me of Yanukovych's politics," says John Herbst.
The accusation against Poroshenko is a shameful tragifrace. Ukrainian writer and diplomat Yuri Shcherbak writes about it.
"I consider the charges brought by Zelensky against the fifth president of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko as a shameful tragifarce. A man, thanks to whose will and energy Russia's aggression was stopped, is accused of high treason! Only buffoon scriptwriters could dignify such a thing. Instead of consolidating Ukraine in moments of mortal danger - Russian aggression - they sow discord and chaos. Eternal shame on the capitulators," Shcherbak writes.
Former Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to the United States Valery Chaly is convinced - after Poroshenko together with the army, volunteers and all the Ukrainian people liberated two-thirds of the occupied Donbas, he became enemy number one for Putin.
"Poroshenko's suspicion is Putin's demand that he agree to talk to Zelensky. For Putin, Poroshenko is enemy No. 1," he notes. - "And now the condition of Zelensky's meeting with Putin is that Poroshenko, if not behind bars, then under such pressure to destroy him politically.
Recall, on December 20, Poroshenko was announced suspicion of treason and aiding terrorist organizations "LDNR". We are talking about the organization of the allegedly smuggling scheme of coal supplies in 2014-2015.
He was summoned to the State Bureau of Investigation, but he did not show up because he went abroad and promises to return in January. Poroshenko's defense is waiting for official information from the Office of the Prosecutor General regarding permission to detain him.
