Former President Petro Poroshenko called sanctions imposed against him by the Ukrainian government an "attack on freedom and democracy" in an interview with the German tabloid Bild published on March 18.
Poroshenko, head of the opposition European Solidarity party and Ukraine's president between 2014 and 2019, was among several politicians and oligarchs sanctioned by Kyiv in February. The media speculated that the sanctions against Poroshenko were connected to his high treason case.
The ex-president's assets have been frozen, and he says he is not allowed to leave the country.
"What is happening here is unconstitutional, it is illegal, there is no court decision," Poroshenko claimed in the interview.
When asked about U.S. President Donald Trump's accusations toward President Volodymyr Zelensky, Poroshenko responded, "If you ask me about a dictatorship, the answer is clear – the dictator is (Russian President Vladimir) Putin."
At the same time, Poroshenko accused Zelensky's team of "moving the country toward dictatorship" while denouncing the sanctions imposed against him.
Trump has falsely accused Zelensky of being a "dictator without elections" on account of not holding a presidential vote during wartime. Ukraine's Constitution prohibits elections under martial law, which was instituted at the outbreak of Russia's full-scale war in 2022.
Kateryna Denisova
Trump's public attack on Zelensky was followed by rumors that the U.S. president's team has been secretly in contact with Ukrainian opposition figures, including senior members of Poroshenko's party.
Poroshenko acknowledged only "public and transparent" contacts with U.S. partners and rejected the possibility of holding elections during martial law.
The businessman and owner of the confectionery manufacturing group Roshen was defeated by Zelensky by a landslide in the 2019 elections. Since then, the two have remained bitter political rivals, often resorting to verbal attacks.
One of the recent opinion polls showed Poroshenko's support at 10%, below ex-Commander-in-Chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi (21%) and Zelensky (44%.)
Poroshenko was charged in 2021 with high treason and aiding terrorist organizations for allegedly conspiring with Russian-backed separatists between November 2014 and January 2015. The scheme reportedly generated over Hr 3 billion ($72 million) in profits from coal supplies.
If found guilty, Poroshenko could face 10 to 15 years in prison.
Speaking about the battlefield situation, Poroshenko said that Ukraine "must immediately stop losing people and immediately stop losing territory."
"Defending the territory is the top priority. Use fortifications, minefields, and the most modern anti-aircraft defenses against guided bombs," the ex-president added, saying that Ukraine should "forget the word 'offensive operation.'"
Ukraine has been resisting Russian onslaught across a more than 1,000-kilometer-long front for more than three years. Earlier this month, Ukraine lost significant positions in the Russian border region of Kursk, which it attacked last August.
Kateryna Hodunova
(Updated: )
